The METRO Care Loads of Love Appeal aims to make Christmas just that little bit better for families doing it tough by asking people from across the region to donate a Loads of Love bag filled with donations of non-perishable food items such as canned food, pasta, cereal, meal bases as well as toiletries.
Now in its eighth year, the Loads of Love Appeal has set the ambitious target of gathering 15,000 kilos for distribution by Lifeline Darling Downs & SW Queensland to deserving households in Southern Queensland.
Once again the Loads of Love Appeal is partnering with Heritage Bank to widen its collection capabilites. All 60 Heritage Bank branches will act as collection points. Appeal organiser, Matt Gregg, said people wishing to help can pick up a red Loads of Love bag at any Heritage branch, and then return the bag to their local branch or to participating Harvey Norman Stores in Toowoomba, Kingaroy, Warwick or Dalby.
Matt said, “Loads of Love is simple, easy and accessible to everyone to assist. We can all make a difference, and be a part of spreading some Christmas cheer in our local communities.”
Toowoomba Regional Council’s Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has continued its blooming success entering the Hall of Fame after taking out top gong overnight at the Queensland Tourism Awards for the third year in a row.
Toowoomba Regional Council’s Tourism and Events chair, Cr Geoff McDonald, said the accolade reflects Council’s commitment to delivering world-class events to benefit the Toowoomba region.
“This is the third consecutive year Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has won the Major Festival and Events category. I am thrilled our team and region has been recognised by the State’s most prestigious tourism award as the best major event in the Sunshine State,†Cr McDonald said.
“Our community should be very proud of Carnival taking out gold in the major events and festivals category for the third year in a row.
“This award not only reflects our amazing Carnival, it also captures the spirit of our community who has helped Carnival grow over the last 68 years to become one of Queensland’s iconic must-see events,†Cr McDonald concluded.
The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers was elevated from regional to the major festival and event category in 2015 and has scooped the pool, ever since taking home the gold award each year.
The 2016 Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers blossomed with a record 197,733 attendees on the opening weekend, and an army of 2,190 outstanding community volunteers making it an unforgettable 10 day spectacular.
3 beautiful gardens of varying character in the Pittsworth District will be open for garden lovers to visit Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of October, 2017.
Queensland’s State Rose Garden in Newtown Park, Toowoomba & Toowoomba Regional Council officially opened Stage 2 on Saturday, 21st October, 2017, commencing at 10am in Newtown Park.
 Five Gardens were opened: 1 Heritage Roses in Australia Collection
This collection is from part of David Ruston’s Original Collection which consists of old roses, often found in cemeteries, old deserted homesteads and sites of burnt down buildings. Preserving these varieties is essential for the overall history of the rose and its breeding. Toowoomba is honoured to be the custodians of theses roses.
2 Frank Riethmuller Rose Collection
Frank Riethmuller, born locally in 1884 began breeding roses in his later years. Eleven varieties have been planted and to our knowledge, this is the largest collection of different Riethmuller varieties to be found in a public rose garden anywhere in the world.
3 Rod Hultgren Australian Bred Gold Medal Winners
The Gold Medal winners from the rose trial gardens will be planted in these three beds, unnamed until registered by the grower. Trial roses are assessed according to a certain criteria over a two year period. Rod Hultgren, a foundation member, initiated and organised the trials for these gardens.
4 Alister Clark Collection
Alister Clark, a noted rose breeder (from 1912 to 1949), bred roses suitable for the hot dry conditions of Australia, giving his roses to charities for fundraising or to the people for whom he’d named the roses.
5 Australian War Animal Memorial Garden
This garden includes the sculpture “Soaring Spirit†surrounded by Charles de Gaulle roses
Submitted by: President Regina Albion Ph 0408 282 515
NASA’s Dr Douglas Hudgins will present at USQ’s Festival of Astronomy & Space Day 7 on Monday 9 October, with a presentation entitled ‘Are We Alone? NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program and the Search for Earth 2.0’.The public talk will run from 5.30pm †7pm.
Dr Hudgins is the Program Scientist for NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program and TESS mission and Deputy Program Scientist for the Kepler mission. He will give an overview of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program, including key results from the Kepler and K2 space missions, and the science expected from the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to be launched in 2018.
USQ’s annual Festival of Astronomy & Space celebrates astronomy and the space sciences, from our traditional knowledge about the night sky to the edge of the Universe. The Festival is also part of World Space Week and its theme of ‘Exploring New Worlds in Space’, with USQ’s particular research focus being to discover and characterise new planetary systems around stars other than the Sun.
Submitted by: Laura Hunt, Research Communications Coordinator USQ
Master artisans and traditional tradesmen and women with hundreds of combined years of training are demonstrating and sharing their skills and talent for heritage trades at the first Lost Trades Fair to be held in Queensland.
You are invited to come and see trades being practised, just as they always have been, but usually behind closed workshop doors from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 7th October & Sunday 8th October.
Lost Trades aims to inspire, to educate and to open the eyes and minds of the next generation to demand something made by a real person rather than a machine; to think about sustainability and the longevity of what they buy and use, to excite people to have the confidence to design, make and create something real, something crafted by their own hands – and to show them what people can do with practice, passion and knowledge.
Adults: $15, Juniors: $5 (5 – 15 years) Under 5’s are free, Pensioners: $10, Family: $35 (2 adults and up to 4 kids 5 – 15 years)
This is a ticketed event and entry to the Lost Trades Fair requires the purchase of a ticket – there is no free entry – TICKETING
There are no set demonstration times as all the artisans will be demonstrating and sharing their trades skills throughout the event. You will see the same trades and exhibits on each day and artisans will be selling their wares at the fair.
There is a wonderful range of local food makers selling fresh traditional food and tea & coffee will be available for purchase. There is an ATM onsite.
For more information on the Lost Trades Fair please see: losttrades.info
During the Lost Trades Fair Cobb + Co are running mini blacksmithing workshops so you can experience this unique heritage trade for yourself. You can book into one of these three hour workshops:
Blacksmithing Mini Workshop – Saturday 9am – SOLD OUT
Blacksmithing Mini Workshop – Saturday 1pm
Blacksmithing Mini Workshop – Sunday 9am
Blacksmithing Mini Workshop – Sunday 1pm
Cobb+Co Museum 27 Lindsay Street, Toowoomba Queensland 4350
As part of the Legends of League rugby league event being held in Oakey this weekend, a number of former representative players will visit the Oakey Hospital this Thursday 5 October.
The community is invited to share lunch with the players at the Legends of League community barbecue together with the staff, residents and visitors to the hospital from noon to 1pm.
League Legends in attendance include former New Zealand Warriors player Mark Tookey, Craig Teevan (former Brisbane Broncos player and Queensland representative), Craig Wilson (former North Sydney Bears player) and Nathan Blacklock (former St George-Illawarra Dragons player and Australian representative).
Health information stalls will also be set up on the day at Oakey Hospital, corner of Beale and Fitzpatrick Streets, Thursday 5th October.
All Toowoomba Region Libraries will be closed from 12 noon Saturday, 30th September to Tuesday 3rd October for an upgrade to our library management system.
All libraries will be upgraded to SPYDUS 10, which features a new discovery tool that enables patrons to search all collections within the one search. All libraries will be closed and customers will be unable to return any items during this shutdown. The library website will still be available during this time, however the library catalogue will be unavailable.
TRC Libraries will reopen on Wednesday 4th October, with staff available to help customers navigate the new system.
For more info call Toowoomba Regional Council on 131 872.
