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Invitation To DFV Summit

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Invitation To DFV Summit

The Department of Communities – Queensland are assisting the Toowoomba Regional Council, Toowoomba Says No to Violence & the local  community to host the Toowoomba Region Domestic and Family Violence Summit on Monday 23 November, 2015.

John Minz, retiring CEO, Heritage Bank and Chair of Toowoomba Says No To Violence invites all interested community members to attend.
Invitation Toowoomba Region DFV Summit 2015

Play your part in making Toowoomba & the region a safer community in which to live.

Registration Toowoomba Region DFV Summit 2015

Thanks so much for your support of this important community event.

Carnival’s Golden Run Continues At Qld Tourism Awards

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Carnival’s Golden Run Continues At Qld Tourism Awards

Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers extended an extraordinary run of success by winning the hotly contested Major Festivals and Events category at the Queensland Tourism Awards in Brisbane.

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) Tourism and Events portfolio leader Cr Geoff McDonald said the win was a fantastic achievement by Council’s Carnival organising team and the countless volunteers who supported the event.

“Carnival’s undoubted and growing popular appeal has been acknowledged further by this industry recognition,” Cr McDonald said.

Mel Kite and Cr Geoff McDonald
Carnival coordinator Mel Kite and Cr Geoff McDonald displaying the Award                                                                                     Trophy

“This is the first year Carnival has been entered in the Major Events category which matched it against the top events in Queensland,”Cr McDonald said.

“The award was for the 2014 Carnival, which marked the 65th edition of the country’s longest continuously running horticultural event. In 2014 Council hosted 18 flagship Carnival events with an incredible supporting program of 80 community-run events.”

“In that year 112,000 patrons, including 63,000 people from outside the Toowoomba region, attended functions across 10 days of festivities.”

“With an economic return in the vicinity of $30 million, Carnival is a major economic driver for Toowoomba and the region.

The organising team has worked hard to promote the food, wine and artistic creations of our region against the mainstay backdrop of the civic and private gardens, which are world renowned.

The Carnival program caters for all age groups and Council is working to improve the range and quality of attractions across the board. This award also proves that a regional event has all the ingredients to offer a fantastic stay for interstate and international tourists.

Ideally, these visitors would take the time to explore the wider region and be surprised to see other great SE Queensland attractions.”

Cr McDonald said the win topped an incredible 18 months of achievement in which Carnival last month won the events category at the Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) National Awards in Sydney.

The Carnival of Flowers also won the events category at the 2014 Australian Tourism Awards and a gold award at last’s year’s Queensland Tourism Awards (events and festivals category).

TRC’s Tourism and Events coordinator Ross Begent and Carnival events coordinator Mel Kite accepted the award at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre.

Small Town Culture Project Visiting Dalby, Warwick and Toowoomba

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Small Town Culture Project Visiting Dalby, Warwick and Toowoomba

A University of Southern Queensland (USQ) supported project to inspire young people through music and film has visited the Western Downs. On Friday November 6th, Small Town Culture launched two music video clips involving 8-17 year old students from local schools in Dalby.

Country musician Josh Arnold has been travelling through regional and remote Queensland to help showcase school and community pride via the Small Town Culture Project. The project, which has visited Barambah cluster of State Schools, Beaudesert, Clermont, and Wondai, involves workshops and the creation of music and film clips.
Josh Arnold 042
The project will head to Warwick Central State School to deliver workshops and create music and film clips, to be launched on Tuesday December 8th.  Newtown State School in Toowoomba will have their launch on Friday December 4th.

The Small Town Culture Project is supported through the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Participation Program (HEPP) to improve the access, participation and success of students from communities under-represented in higher education.

For more information on the project, visit www.smalltownculture.com

Submitted by:
Rhianwen Whitney,
University of Southern Queensland,
email: rhianwen.whitney@usq.edu.au

Jumbo Jets For Wellcamp Airport

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Jumbo Jets For Wellcamp Airport

Wellcamp Airport HeaderHistory will be made when a Cathay Pacific Airways Boeing 747-800F lands at Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport, Toowoomba and departs for Hong Kong on November 23 this year.

It will be the first time an international flight will depart from Australia’s newest airport and the first time Cathay Pacific Airways has operated a cargo service into an Australian regional centre.

Airport developer Wagners global chairman John Wagner said the flight would mark not only a major aviation milestone but a significant commercial initiative for the country.

“The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is likely to come into force by the end of the year. We are on the cusp of a massive export opportunity that will give local producers access to markets that feed half of the world’s population and this flight is the first step towards achieving this long-term goal. We are thrilled Cathay Pacific Airways, one of the world’s leading airlines, is focusing on our region,” said Mr Wagner, whose airport celebrates its one-year anniversary on November 17.

He said as Australia’s second largest agricultural basin it made commercial sense to build an airport in the region with a 2.87km runway that could accommodate large freight aircraft. The plane will carry local Darling Downs produce when it departs Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport for Cathay Pacific Airways’ main Asian hub at Hong Kong International Airport.
Cathay Pacific 747Cathay Pacific Airways Southwest Pacific general manager Nelson Chin said the company was excited about bringing its 747-8 freighter into Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport later this month. At 76.3 metres long with a wingspan of 68.4 metres, the Boeing 747-800 freighter is larger than its predecessor the B747-400 and is quieter, more economical and environmentally-friendly. They now make up 13 of Cathay Pacific’s 24 freighter aircraft.

“Cathay Pacific is one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers and we are always looking for new opportunities. In fact, of the 12 new destinations that have been announced or commenced operations over the past two years, five are for freight only. We also congratulate Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport on its 12-month anniversary of operations,” Mr Chin said.

“This is a very exciting time for Australian exporters, and it seems South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales producers and businesses have enormous potential for growth after the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Boeing 747-800 backtracking the runway at Brisbane-West Wellcamp Airport outside Toowoomba

New Weekly Farmers’ Markets For Toowoomba

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New Weekly Farmers’ Markets For Toowoomba

A heads up to all the local foodies who have been desperately crying out for the opportunity to access local fresh produce, direct from the farmer, every single week.

After three years of planning and identifying suitable locations, only to be told NO, local foodie Josie Townsend has come to an arrangement with the Empire Theatres to trial a farmers’ market every Thursday on the front lawns of the Empire Theatre.

“We live in one of Australia’s most incredible food growing regions and it has amazed me that there is no regular farmers’ market where I can buy my fresh produce weekly”, said Josie, managing director of Mojo Business Management who have taken the plunge to run the events.  Sourcing local products and produce has always been tricky, she said,

Josie’s previous experience includes running the commercial coordination of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and also running her own Australian food hamper business in Sydney. “We are keen to see a collaborative, active and powerful local food trading economy grow in Toowoomba, and our business model includes the launch of a digital, national food connection platform early next year.”

Kerry Saul and Josie TownsendEmpire Theatres’ general manager Kerry Saul, who is focused on engaging the broader community said “The synergy between food and culture is extremely strong. In other similar theatre precincts, farmers’ markets have helped to revive a space by drawing crowds who may not normally frequent an arts space. We want to open our arms to the broader community, while supporting our farmers.”

The markets are envisaged as a no-waste market, where you will need to purchase your keeper cup for coffee, glass bottle for fresh juices and re-usable bottles for water, or bring your own. Plastics and disposables are a big no-no! Organisers will also sell plates and cutlery for their “Share a feast” concept, or once again you can bring your own, so you can try many of the different delicacies that stallholders will offer on the night.

The Empire Theatres will provide entertainment on the evening and will have the Armitage Centre bar open before and throughout the performances. Future events will include workshops and special guests.

The organisers will be  looking for appropriate stall holders who meet the Australian Farmers Market Model guidelines, and volunteers to assist each week.

Please call Josie Townsend on 0432 267 003, find us on Facebook or go to www.mylocalfeastfarmersmarkets.com.au. An app will be launched soon.

St Luke’s Flower And Music Festival

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St Luke’s Flower And Music Festival

St Luke's Flower and Music Festival

Toowoomba Mayor, Councillor Paul Antonio will open the 2015  St. Luke’s Flower and Music Festival on Thursday, 17th September at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Toowoomba at 6.00pm with prayers and blessings by Bishop Cameron Venables. A special Carnival Eucharist will also be held at 9 am on Sunday 20th September to which all are warmly invited.

As the new face of Toowoomba continues to shape up, St Luke’s Church is delighted to offer fresh inspiration for locals and visitors this Carnival season. The newly created Toowoomba City Labyrinth at St Luke’s will be a focal feature of this year’s ‘To Be a Pilgrim’ flower and music festival, together with new and traditional joys of wonderful flower displays, prayer, hospitality and first-class music.

St. Luke’s Flower and Music Festival has been a highlight for Carnival visitors for over 48 years, with many thousands of people enjoying the floral artistry, music and catering of the stalwart volunteers of the Anglican Parish. Organised and run by parishioners, the event continues to be enthusiastically supported by the Toowoomba Floral Art Group and Toowoomba Regional Council.

Featuring refreshment packages from $5.50 per person for coach groups, the famous plant stall, and daily concerts throughout the festival performed by professional musicians, the floral displays will be open each day from the 19th to 23rd September from 9am to 4pm.

There is a veritable “feast” of attractions. People can wander through craft stalls, browse second hand books, enjoy lunch or a snack, have a picnic in the grounds, walk the newly completed labyrinth, take in the free weekday concerts at 12.30pm or return for the Philharmonic Society Concert on 2pm Sunday, 20th September.  St Luke’s is on the corner of Herries and Ruthven Streets.

Sustainable House Day – Saturday 5th September 2015

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Sustainable House Day – Saturday 5th September 2015

Come and be a part of the action on national Sustainable House Day (SHD) – http://sustainablehouseday.com/ , Saturday 5th of September!

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) is facilitating the Toowoomba activities for this nation-wide event, with a mixture of sustainable ‘Open House’ sites (homes and gardens, facilities) for residents to visit as well as a Community Forum featuring speakers on sustainable building design, renewable energy and landscaping.

HOPE welcomes your attendance at either or both aspects of the Toowoomba’s Sustainable House Day activities. This is your chance to see and hear first-hand about what’s possible and to be inspired to apply some of these measures at your place!

Open Houses/Facilities

In the morning of  Saturday 5th September, facilities open to the public include:

· Sustainable house and gardens at 210 West Street, Toowoomba featuring solar electricity, skylights, rainwater tanks, permaculture gardens, chooks and worm farm.
2015 09 Sustainable Practices at 210 West Street, Toowoomba 2015

· Excel Solar’s Solar Farm 7SD located at lots 24-25 Croft Crescent, Toowoomba featuring a 60kW fully monitored solar plant.
2015 09 7SD Solar Farm Technical Article – Excel Solar

Community Forum

The afternoon component of Sustainable House Day is a community forum being held at the Dr Price Room, 6 Little St, Toowoomba, from 4pm to 6pm.

Guest speakers are:

· Ms. Joanne Galea from the Building Designers Association of Queensland (BDAQ), Mr Terry Davis from Excel Solar and Mr Jerry Coleby-Williams from Gardening Australia.

For further information and/or to register your interest in participating in Toowoomba’s Sustainable House Day event on Saturday 5 September, please contact the HOPE office on ph: 07 4639 2135 or email: office@hopeaustralia.org.au . Admission to both activities are FREE of charge!

Frank Ondrus,
President †HOPE Inc.,
Ph 4639 2135

Legacy Week 2015

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Legacy Week 2015

For each serving Australian who risks everything – a family does the same. Australians will have the chance to show their support for these very special families by buying a badge during Legacy Week – August 30 to September 5, 2015.

As one of Australia’s most iconic charities, Legacy grew out of the ashes of the Great War and still supports around 90,000 families of Defence personnel who have given their lives or their health for their country.

Australia has lost just over 100,000 service men and women in all conflicts with many, many more badly injured, both mentally and physically. In WWI alone around 60,000 service men and women were killed with another 60,000 losing their lives in the following 10 years as a result of their service.

Legacy Australia chairman, Mr David Gray, said the families of the dedicated men and women who serve their country deserve the recognition of their sacrifice and the support of all Australians. He said a promise to look after the “missus and the kids” made by diggers in WWI to their mates who had fallen continues at the heart of what Legacy does today.

He also acknowledged the support of the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin and that of the Australian Defence Force for this year’s appeal.

“For each serving Australian who risks everything, a family does the same, and when Legacy is needed it is ready to provide support,” he said.

“Legacy cares for widows and dependants ranging in age between 3 weeks and 109, with all sharing the heartache of losing a loved one †either physically or mentally †which can last a lifetime.

“Legacy’s role continues to evolve to accommodate the changing needs of the families we support, including those affected by Post Traumatic Stress, which it does while keeping the Legacy ethos that has served us proudly since 1923.

“When you see a badge seller in the street during Legacy Week please help us help the families in need and buy a badge.”

Legacy is the only organisation of its type in the world and relies on an army of dedicated volunteers, many of whom are returned servicemen and women, to carry out its vital work.

Legacy Badges, Tokens of your donations will be available throughout the Toowoomba Region during Badge Week. To donate by electronic funds transfer Heritage Bank Account Toowoomba Legacy Inc gifts Account. BSB 638-070. Ac /No 8796912

To volunteer your time Phone 0413 484 757 any time or 07 46322 352 Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 1pm.
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