Home Blog Page 60

Disaster In The Making For Toowoomba Escarpment

Newshound
-
0
Disaster In The Making For Toowoomba Escarpment

Prince Henry Heights
Community Action Group

Expert engineering advice given to Prince Henry Heights residents has raised significant question marks over a planned 40-lot pole housing estate proposed for the leafy escarpment suburb.

Following a community meeting last week where unanimous support was shown from hundreds of residents to fight the project, an action group meeting last Friday was told that the building application before Council seemed to contradict Toowoomba Regional Council’s (TRC) own planning requirements in a number of areas.

Consulting engineers have advised that traffic bottlenecks, landslides and the destruction of sensitive native bushland will result if approval is given to the estate.      

Action group spokesman Mr Philip Collins said that key findings given by engineers who had reviewed the proposed plan said that traffic could increase by more than 130 percent on the suburb’s narrow one way roads, severely restricting access for emergency vehicles in the event of life and death situations.

Vehicles struggle to negotiate Panorama Crescent, the narrow one way road that will feed the proposed 40 lot housing estate at Prince Henry Heights

“We’re playing with people’s lives here and to think that the suburb’s current narrow roadways will cope with an emergency is ridiculous.

Council needs to understand the gravity of the issue if more added pressure is placed on the suburb’s narrow roadways.”

The roads feeding into the 40-lot estate are almost 2 metres short of Council’s own recommended street width of 7 metres.

“They are barely adequate to service the existing houses yet alone another 40 lot estate,” Mr Collins said. “Panorama Crescent that will feed traffic into the estate is just over 5 metres wide.”

“It’s ludicrous to think that it might be a good idea to add the traffic generated by another 40 three bedroom residences to this road without requiring the existing road to be upgraded, costing ratepayers millions of dollars.”

Mr Collins went on to say that apart from traffic issues, the estate seems to also sidestep proper planning scheme compliance issues in other areas.

“Stormwater and drainage compliance proposals are vague and could result in soil and hillside rock layers to become unstable. It’s not improbable to think that large tracts of Redwood Park on the escarpment could fall away into the gullies below. The destruction to the ring road of Prince Henry Drive, ecosystems and wildlife would be unimaginable.”

“We saw in the floods of 2011 the damage it caused and to multiply that again because of inadequate controls would be disastrous,” Mr Collins said.

The environmental impact of the estate seems to be underestimated, if Council’s own planning guidelines are taken in to account. “Our advice suggests that much more than the 2 hectares of native bushland surrounding the estate will need to be cleared to meet buffer zone requirements.”

“A permanent scar of barren and stark rock across Toowoomba’s scenic landscape escarpment, a desecrated ecosystem and the eradication of native wildlife will be left for future generations to enjoy.”

Mr Collins said many residents have already voiced their concerns to Council and to elected officials over the proposed estate. Community representatives will seek a meeting with TRC later this week to discuss the issues raised from the engineering report.

Submitted by:
Phil Collins
Email philip@killeainvestments.com

Enjoy Australia Day At Highfields Pioneer Village

Newshound
-
0
Enjoy Australia Day At Highfields Pioneer Village

Highfields Pioneer Village has traditionally hosted many thousands of people from near and far, celebrating Australia Day in a unique heritage location. Australia Day Celebrations at Highfields are jam-packed full of fun with displays and entertainment to interest all ages.
The day kicks off at 9.00am with Milking of the Cow, then Beekeeping, Blacksmithing, Working Draught Horse and Whip Cracking School. There will be plenty of good Aussie tucker, meat pies, vegemite sandwiches and Billy Tea and Damper.

Guest Artists Trevor Dodds, Brendon Walmsley and the Cactoblastis will perform. There will be an Aboriginal Art display, Family Games and children will love the Baby Animals in the Nursery.

The official presentation of Australia Day Awards will commence at 2.00pm, followed by free afternoon tea sponsored by Toowoomba Regional Council.  We finish the day around 5.00pm.

Entry is by gold coin donation per person to support the heritage village and will be gratefully accepted and appreciated.

Highfields Pioneer Village, Museum and Park Inc. is a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers,  and is dedicated to preserving the history of the Darling Downs for future generations. 

Normally open 10am to 4pm daily at 73 Wirraglen Rd, Highfields.
P.O Box 325, Highfields QLD 4352. Phone 07 4696 6309
http://highfieldspioneervillage.com.au/
http://eastervintagefestival.com/

An Afternoon Of Fashion To Suit Every Woman

Newshound
-
0
An Afternoon Of Fashion To Suit Every Woman

Friends of Queensland’s State Rose Garden in Newtown Park are running a fashion parade as a way of a saying thank you to the Toowoomba Floral Art Group for all the Voluntary Assistance they have given over the past 17 years.
The Portofino Fashion Parade is run primarily for not for profit groups
such as ours to assist in this difficult job of raising funds and the
quality of clothing and presentation is fun and more importantly of excellent
quality and style.

Friends of the Queensland State Rose Garden will also run a quality Multi Draw raffle to assist with funds as they still have works to complete prior to the final judging from The World Rose Garden Judges visiting the Gardens in Newtown Park .

Submitted by:
Regina Albion,
President Queensland’s State Rose Garden

Join The ‘Plasma Movement’ In 2018

Newshound
-
0
Join The ‘Plasma Movement’ In 2018

You may have heard that there’s a new approach to donating blood.  All donors †new and current †are encouraged to donate PLASMA.

PLASMA is the liquid component that forms the majority of your blood.  It’s what your red blood cells float in, and it’s loaded with thousands of proteins and nutrients that are vital to the way our bodies function.  When donated, PLASMA can be used to create 18 different life-saving medical treatments, helping people suffering from cancer and leukaemia, brain and nerve disease, immune deficiencies and many more health conditions.

SELF ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES FOR PROSPECTIVE PLASMA DONORS

Currently Australia’s demand for PLASMA is at an all-time high, which is why the Australian Red Cross Blood Service is calling upon local business, sporting and community groups to join Red25.  Red25’s ambitious goal is to unite organisations across Australia to donate 25 per cent of the 1 million-plus donations needed every year.  Quite simply, by working together, we can save more lives!

TOOWOOMBA BLOOD DONOR CENTRE   Needs another 15 plasma donors this week

661 Ruthven Street (Enter via Bernoth Centre, parking at rear)

IPSWICH BLOOD DONOR CENTRE   Needs another 10 plasma donors this week

L1 Riverlink Medical Centre, 7 Lowry Street (parking underneath)

Submitted by:
Sandee Thompson
Community Relations Officer †Toowoomba / Ipswich
Australian Red Cross Blood Service
661 Ruthven Street
Toowoomba QLD 4350
P:  07 4688 4511

 

·     

 

 

 

 

·        

Help Hit Breast Cancer For Six!

Newshound
-
0
Help Hit Breast Cancer For Six!


Whether it’s your mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, daughter, close friend, work colleague or neighbour, almost every Australian knows someone close who’s had breast cancer.

It’s an astonishing fact that 43 Australians are diagnosed with breast cancer every day. That’s almost 16,000 people who will require specialist care this year alone.

The McGrath Foundation has been working tirelessly over the past 12 years to train and place McGrath Breast Care nurses in communities all over Australia. These are the ‘angels’ (as Jane called them) who help women and their families get through what can be a very difficult time.

The cost of funding each nurse for a 3-year placement is $390,000. The Foundation currently funds 110 Breast Care nurses and has now supported some 49,000 patients and their families through breast cancer.

Funds raised through Pink Stumps Day and the Pink Test/Jane McGrath Day combined pay for 6 Breast Care Nurses annually.

Since it began in 2011, Pink Stumps Day has become an annual community event that gives local sporting clubs, schools and businesses the chance to have some fun by holding their own “Pink Test” †while at the same time raising funds for the McGrath Foundation.

In 2018, Pink Stumps Day takes place on the weekend of February 17 & 18 and everyone who registers will be in the draw to win a special visit from Glenn McGrath at their Pink Stumps Day event. However, some cricket clubs may put on a Pink Stumps Day event on their final day of the season or their awards day.

Ergon’s Safety Tips For Holiday DIY Dangers

Newshound
-
0
Ergon’s Safety Tips For Holiday DIY Dangers

If you’re planning to undertake home renovation tasks over the holidays Ergon Energy is urging you to be aware of potential electrical hazards lurking in your property.

This year alone the Queensland Ambulance Service was called to nearly 500 electrical shock and electrocution emergencies, however Ergon Energy’s Community Safety Manager Aaron Smith has a few simple steps that will keep home renovators safe.

“Of all the hazards associated with home renovations, electricity is not only the best concealed, but also the most dangerous,” he said. “So before cutting, drilling or hammering nails into walls, floors and ceilings, home handymen should thoroughly check for electrical wires behind them.

“First and foremost if someone is not confident of locating hidden wires they should always call a licensed electrician. Locating wires in ceilings can be done by first switching off all power at the meterbox then taking a look around the roof space with a torch and visually sighting where the cables run.

“Similarly, electricity cabling underneath timber floors can generally found by getting under the home and tracking the route of wires. But wires in walls are more difficult to locate and are usually found within a metre of light switches, lights and power points.

“However, Ergon always recommends getting a licensed electrician in to locate concealed power around the home, ” Mr Smith said.

And while handymen all over Queensland will be having a go at many DIY jobs around the home this holiday period, Mr Smith said that under no circumstances should they attempt electrical work.

“Putting it simply, electricity is a killer and unqualified people who attempt electrical work are not only taking theirs and other’s lives in their hands, they could kill others and they are breaking the law,” he said.

“So any electrical work at all, no matter how small, should only ever be undertaken by a licensed electrician.”

Submitted by:
Rod Rehbein
Senior Corporate Communications Advisor

 

2017 Christmas Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin of the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese

Newshound
-
0
2017 Christmas Message From Bishop Robert McGuckin of the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese

A Christmas Message from Robert McGuckin, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba (which covers approximately from Helidon to the western Qld border with NT and SA, and from the Qld southern border with NSW to as far north as Taroom).

We are now well and truly into December. School’s out and the shops are busy. This year in Toowoomba we have more shops than ever to visit. I am thinking of buying some rollerblades so that I might more easily get around the shopping centres!

Certainly we have to make preparations for Christmas: Where will we spend Christmas? Who will we invite? Have we finished our Christmas shopping? Have we forgotten someone? What do we hope to receive?

Over the past few weeks there have been a number of end-of-year school functions. For quite a number of young people their school days are now over but their education continues. In listening to the speeches of many school leavers I have been heartily impressed by the maturity of those young women and men. Our community will surely be the better with their participation. At times we might think that we are the teachers. When all is said and done we can surely learn from these young people who have a passion for social justice and building a better world.

The Catholic Bishop’s Social Statement (2017-18) is titled Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy. Our economy should be one that is founded on justice and offers dignity and inclusion to every person.

Let us welcome new arrivals as we ourselves would like to be welcomed if we were a stranger. May we all play our part in creating welcoming communities where people experience God’s love as something real which brings joy and needs to be shared.

Some weeks ago we had World Day of the Poor with this year’s motto: Love not in word but in deed!  A Christmas gift of financial support to people in need is a meaningful and worthwhile act of charity and speaks louder than words. Donations can be made to Caritas Australia www.caritas.org.au or Vinnies www.vinnies.org.au or some other charity of your choice.

In all our rush and bustle, try to leave some time for relaxation and reflection. Perhaps we could turn off all our gadgets even for a short time and listen to each other.

May we travel safely on our roads and be patient with other drivers. Let us all show respect to others who may hold different beliefs or make different choices in life. Let us value the dignity and life of each person.

May the joy and peace of Christmas be with you and your loved ones now and throughout the coming year.  I wish you a very happy Christmas!

 

Bishop Robert McGuckin

December 2017

Living With Disabilities †A Christmas Conversation!

Newshound
-
0
Living With Disabilities †A Christmas Conversation!

The CEDAR Centre has been a long time supporter and educator of those with a disability and to end 2017 on the right note, they have organised drinks and canapes and a great line-up to carry on the Christmas conversation †‘Living with a Disability at a Time of Travel and Celebration.

The event is being sponsored by the Newlands Group and The Office and is the first of what is planned to be a series of ‘Conference Conversations’ in 2018.

This session will take place Wednesday, 20th December from 3pm †4.30pm at The Office in Duggan Street, Toowoomba, and people from care organisations, senior and frontline staff, teachers, employers with or planning to recruit staff with a disability, church groups, those interested in seeking employment in the disability sector and individuals and families living with a disability, are all encouraged to come along.

Sharon Boyce

Guest speakers include:

  • Sharon Boyce, founder of Discovering Disabilities and Diversity
  • Anna Nicholls, CEO of CEDAR Centre
  • Jen Shaw, Founder of ‘Emerge’, author and food celebrity
  • Carolyn Hunter, founder of Ben & Co and mum of Ben Hunter
  • Anne Button-Smith, Local Area Coordinator with Toowoomba NDIS

After some short presentations, an open Q & A style discussion will be facilitated, then networking.

Anna Nicholls, CEO of CEDAR Centre said, “This is a busy time of year for everyone, with the stresses even more accentuated in a family with disabilities. We wanted to have a relaxed event that allowed the conversation for awareness to take place and for those in the industry or curious about it, to have a networking opportunity to come along and ask questions.”

Please RSVP to the CEDAR Centre on 07 4512 6770.

1...596061...217Page 60 of 217