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The MG Car Club of Australia and Corvettes Down Under car groups will be holding separate events in Toowoomba and will be out and about exploring the region across the Easter long weekend.

Corvettes Down Under will hold a special Show ‘n’ Shine on Saturday (March 30) from 9am to 2pm at the Village Green (off Ruthven Street – behind City Hall) and the MG Car Club of Queensland will hold a Concours (a competition based on originality and presentation of the car) on Saturday as well. That event will be held at Heller Street Park from 9am to 3pm.

Representatives from both clubs will be welcomed by Mayor Paul Antonio at City Hall on Thursday 28th of March.

Highfields Pioneer Village is celebrating its 16th Annual Easter Vintage Festival Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday (30th of March to the 1st of April,  2013). The theme of the festival is ‘A time when life was much Simpler’. Come and experience rural life in the Australian Pioneer days! Milk a cow, learn how to crack a whip or be a blacksmith.

Enjoy billy tea and damper made on authentic camp ovens. Don’t miss the spectacular Grand Parade and all the baby animals in the nursery. There will be live music and great food. You might even encounter the infamous bush ranger Ned Kelly! Whether you love history, you’re a vintage machinery buff or you are just looking for great entertainment you will have a wonderful time at the Easter Vintage Festival. It is an affordable, entertaining weekend for all ages. Past visitors have come for a day and returned for all three!The Festival will feature displays and demonstrations from all aspects of Pioneering life- including arts, crafts, music, vintage machinery and age old crafts such as Silversmithing, Tinsmithing and Blacksmithing. The kids will love to see the old steam engines and stationary engines working and the heavy horses are always a favourite too.

There will also be an extensive range of wood products from the Toowoomba Woodworkers on display. Local spinners and weavers will talk about wool usage in textiles and spin wool directly off the sheep’s back.

Come and see how the Australian Pioneers survived in bygone years and learn their heritage skills. Get back to basics and away from the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the atmosphere of the Village set in Pioneering days. Visit the Fashion Shop or the Historic National Bank – be careful you might be held up by Ned Kelly !

There truly is something for everyone at the Easter Vintage Festival, so gather up your family and friends and keep the ‘Australian Pioneering Spirit Alive’- just 15 mins drive North of Toowoomba at Highfields Pioneer Village,Wirraglen Road Highfields, Queensland.

The Village is open from 9:30am to 5:00pm each day of the Festival.
Ph: 07 4696 6309
www.eastervintagefestival.com

Toowoomba’s Village Green became a cultural feast on March 21st as part of Harmony Day celebrations.

In addition to guest speakers, there were a number of performances from representatives of different cultures followed by a barbeque. Mayor Paul Antonio says the celebration was a chance for the community to come together and learn more about other cultures.[youtube width=”525″ height=”444″]http://youtu.be/Msv5SkkXPiY[/youtube]

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Toowoomba Regional Council

Toowoomba Regional Council’s portfolio leader for Tourism and Events Cr Geoff McDonald says the floral parade has come under the spotlight and there has been a suggestion that the parade be put back to 3pm to avoid the heat of the day – which makes perfect sense to me.”

He said a straw poll through the TCOF Facebook page back in late January, asked the community what they thought of changing the parade starting time to 3pm. 70% of respondents were in favour of moving the parade starting time to the 3pm timeslot.

“At that time, we also consulted our key stakeholders – police, parade organisers, sponsors, the SES, Main Roads and coach packaging experts – asking what they thought of a time change. All of them were supportive of a 3pm start.”[youtube width=”525″ height=”444”]http://youtu.be/FNTUUlq7Zk0[/youtube]
Cr McDonald went on to say “Being a family event and involving so many children in the parade, it made good sense to consider postponing the start time to 3pm. There is also a benefit to CBD businesses of having a later start as they can leave their doors open for longer on the morning of the parade.

Cr McDonald said the 2013 parade will start at 3pm and finish in Queens Park at 4.30pm (with the popular parade floral market taking place at 5pm). “It will fit perfectly with the Flower, Food & Wine Festival and Sideshow Alley in Queens Park and we’d encourage parade participants, their families and our many visitors to come join the fun and entertainment of these events,” he said.

“I have no doubt the 64th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers will be yet another great experience and I hope to be in a position to make some more exciting announcements in a few weeks.”

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Toowoomba Regional Council

Have you noticed how busy the skies have been of late? …. and here, I’m not talking about planes and helicopters …. beyond that!

This year started with a meteor explosion over Russia, and lately two comets, Panstarrs and Lemmon have been barely visible to the naked eye in the west, after sunset … and there’s more to come with Comet Ison in October, not to mention a solar flare likely to upset satelite communications after that!

The Space Pilots’ Club (or “Spacies” as we’re known), is a large group of boys who meet on Friday nights to learn more about science and space in particular, including the making of model aerospace-rockets.

This Saturday, 16th March, they’ll be launching some of their magnificent craft – and you are welcome to come and to be part of the action. They, and T.A.R.M.A.C. (the radio-controlled model aero club) invite you to come to the T.A.R.M.A.C. field on the New England Highway (just 10-minutes’ drive south of Toowoomba) just past The Mill – The Outlook at 1:30pm, and count-down with them as they launch each rocket. (Just look for the windsock on your right). Drive in and park.

The Weather Bureau has been predicting a beautiful day. Why not come and enjoy this exciting activity? It’s free! Yes, absolutely free. Bring the kids….

Submitted by:Barry Whisson
Space Pilots’ Club
Toowoomba
Ph 4635 3267

Marguerite Lumsden – Depression and Prostate Cancer, Psychologist Cancer Care Services, Toowoomba Base Hospital will be the guest speaker at the March meeting, Tuesday 19th.at 5.30 for a 6pm start. It will be held at the CCQ office 137 Herries Street Toowoomba. RSVP: Christine Ward, 07 4690 5800

“Marguerite Lumsden is a Psychologist of some 18 years experience. She holds a Masters of Psychology in Health & Community Psychology and is a graduate of the University of Southern Queensland. The vast majority of Marguerite’s experience was gained in Western Queensland where she lived and worked in Roma for 14 years as a Psychologist and in various community roles. Marguerite’s experience as a Psychologist is varied having worked with both children and adults.”
Your local Support Group has members from as far west as Wandoan, to the Lockyer Valley in the East and Gayndah in the North and down to the NSW border in the South.

There are Monthly meetings (3rd Tuesday of the Month) with guest speakers or round table informal discussions, plus a regular newsletter. Attendance at meetings is NOT a prerequisite of membership.

The Toowoomba Prostate Cancer Support Group is affiliated to the PCFA and supported by CCQ.

Submitted by:
David H Abrahams
Convenor & PCFA Ambassador
Toowoomba Prostate Cancer Support Group
Office: +61 (0)7 4613 6974
Fax: +61 (0)7 4635 4137
Mob: +61 (0)407 927 060
E-m: david.abrahams@bigpond.com

On St. Patrick’s Day 1942, the 1,000 strong Darling Downs 25^th Infantry Battalion left Cabarlah Barracks at 2.00am and marched down the steep range to the siding at Spring Bluff.   There the soldiers boarded trains bound for the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, Townsville and eventually Milne Bay at the eastern tip of New Guinea.

Each year on the anniversary of the soldiers’ departure from Spring Bluff, members of the 25^th Battalion gather at Spring Bluff Railway Station for a flag raising ceremony, remembering the efforts of the 25^th Battalion in the 1942 Battle of Milne Bay and 1945 Bougainville campaign. Some 200 of their colleagues did not return home.

This year marks the 71^st anniversary of the night march from Cabarlah Barracks to the Spring Bluff Railway Station on Sunday 17 March, 1942. To commemorate this event, a special ceremony will commence at 10.00am at which members of the public are welcome to attend.

Futher information from Cr Sue Englart on 07 4688 6883.