The weekly program keeping you up to date with Toowoomba Regional Council’s facilities, activities and services.
Council Connections with Darren Burton
This week I talk about Summer Tunes, Loveday Cover reopening, a call for Young Ambassadors working group members, Permanent Conservation Measures, Council’s next meeting, recruitment of Green Army members and our emergency after hours number.
Thanks to advanced repairs being effected at Dalby’s Water Plant. Western Downs Regional Council is easing water restrictions in Dalby from Level Five to Level Three, from midnght Friday 11th February.
Under the new restrictions, residents connected to the bulk town supply will be able to water their gardens up to nine hours a week, with a hand-held hose and permitted drip irrigation systems.
Spokesperson for Utilities – Water, Wastewater and Gas, Councillor Bill McCutcheon attributed the decision to the work and skills of Council’s utilities team.
Dalby’s water supply was devastated on December 29 by the flooding from the Condamine River.
Long hours have been spent meticulously going through all of the treatment plant components – switchboards, controllers pumps, tanks, boresand pipe work to get the supply back online. The assistance from local electrical and pump contractors must also be acknowledged,†he said.
The town’s high capacity bores are again producing water and with both reverse osmosis plants and the river treatment plant all back online, Council feels it is safe to move back to level three. There is still work to be done with some components and automation of the treatment plants and eight of the lower capacity bores still to be restored.â€
Cr McCutcheon praised the efforts of residents in conserving water during and after the floods.
The response of Dalby residents following the flooding is appreciated and there are many examples of people using tank water for washing and other purposes, and this has helped the town come through without the complete loss of supply,†he said.
Under level three, residents in even number properties can water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Residents in odd number properties and those with no numbers can water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. People can water with a hand-held hose and allowed drip irrigation systems between 6.30am to 7.30am and 5pm to 7pm.
The washing of vehicles, boats and houses are permitted within the designated watering times. A total outside watering ban applies on Mondays. The use of sprinklers and sprinkler irrigation systems are not permitted, however buckets can be used at any time, excluding Mondays.
For more information about Level Three water restrictions visit the Council website www.wdrc.qld.gov.au or contact the Engineering Customer Service Centre on 4669 9000.
After being strewn with rubbish by recent flood waters, the much loved banks of Myall Creek in Dalby are one step closer to returning to their natural state. After a public call for help an enthusiastic team of volunteers braved the heat and helped remove rubbish, predominantly plastic packaging, in trees and on the banks along the creek, from the Edward Street Weir to Wambo Street.
Condamine Alliance, the natural resource management organisation for the Condamine catchment, partnered with Western Downs Regional Council to organise the clean up.
Condamine Alliance is working with the Western Downs Regional Council and the Dalby community to reduce the levels of urban waste entering the waterways in the future. This can be a difficult task during events such as the recent floods and will require vigilance from the local community. †Condamine Alliance’s CEO Phil McCullough said. The urban refuse that was washed into the creek and the riparian vegetation is not only aesthetically unpleasant but can have an enormous impact upon the local environment and wildlife,†he said. Native wildlife are at risk, of injury or death from ingesting or getting tangled in the rubbish, particularly plastic packaging,.â€
Spokesperson for Environment and Health, Councillor George Moore said volunteers collected a total of 57 wheat bags full of litter, four pallets, five tyres, three wallets, one handbag and an assortment of clothing from the Myall Creek vicinity. This filled two box trailers and one flat bed truck and was a fantastic effort,†Cr Moore said. Council and Condamine Alliance would like to thank the many volunteers who donated their time on Saturday 5th of February, as well as Dalby Home Hardware for donating rakes and gloves and Country Petroleum for donating five $50 vouchers that were raffled as prizes for the volunteers.â€
–
A unique opportunity to caddy for golfing legend Peter O’Malley will go under the hammer this week to help flood recovery efforts in Toowoomba, in conjunction with the 2011 Cellarbrations QLD PGA Championship to be played from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th February.
Despite severe flood damage, City Golf Club is well on the road to recovery and are committed to staging the PGA Tour of Australasia event and this week’s auction will be one of many efforts to help raise additional funds to rebuild the local community.
As one of the headline players in the Cellarbrations QLD PGA Championship to be played at City Golf Club, Peter O’Malley is tipped to be among the contenders come the final round following great performances at the 2011 Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship and the 2011 Surf Coast Knockout.
But who will be carrying his bag around City Golf Club course in Toowoomba?
The auction to caddy for O’Malley in both the official tournament pro-am and the tournament proper is now open with the auction set to close at 5pm on Friday 19th February.
In addition to the main prize, the highest bidder will also receive a framed memorabilia item to commemorate the occasion including an autographed caddy bib and photo from the Cellarbrations QLD PGA Championship.
The highest bidder will also receive Cellarbrations QLD PGA Championship merchandise and have the opportunity to rub shoulders with other high profile Australian pros including Craig Parry, 2011 Victorian Open winner Paul Sheehan and inaugural Surf Coast Knockout victor Scott Laycock.
We are all really looking forward to the week’s festivities and if this is a way that I can personally have both a moral and financial impact on those impacted by the floods, then I feel that is the least I can do,†said O’Malley.
Money raised from the auction will directly benefit the local Toowoomba region with funds going to the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce Flood Relief Appeal.
To bid on this chance of a lifetime opportunity go to www.ebay.com.au and search for ‘Caddy for Peter O’Malley’ or go direct to the page by clicking here.
The 2011 Cellarbrations QLD PGA Championship will be played at City Golf Club, Toowoomba from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th February.
Submitted by Nicole Powell,
Communications and PR Manager,
PGA of Australia
npowell@pga.org.au
Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley AC paid a two-day visit last week to the Western Downs to inspect first-hand the widespread flood damage and recovery efforts in local communities. She was accompanied by her husband Stuart McCosker, Inspector Ian Thompson AD, Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Ray Brown and councillors.
Together, the group toured Dalby, Chinchilla, Tara and Warra on Friday and Condamine and Miles on Saturday allowing the Governor to receive an overview of the recent flood events, an update on the recovery operations and to speak with residents, community organisations and businesses affected by the flooding.
During the regional visit the Governor also took the opportunity to meet with SES personnel and volunteers to thank them for their efforts during the floods and in the clean up and recovery operations.
Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown said. The Governor was amazed at the level of destruction caused by the floods, the level of support from within the community and by the way in which the recovery operations are being conducted in each of the townships.â€
Cr Brown said the Governor was particularly heartened by the support of the community when she visited the distribution centre in Dalby by the amount of clothing, food and furniture that had been donated to help flood-affected residents.
The Governor was very appreciative of people allowing her into their homes to see some of the damage that had occurred. She was warmly welcomed by all our communities and I thank the Governor for taking the time to visit our region.”
The Dalby Swimming Pool has reopened, almost three weeks after floodwater washed through the facility. It was forced to shutdown when the wading pool and then the 50 metre pool were inundated with floodwater twice just prior to New Year’s Eve.
Dalby’s biggest flood in almost 30 years left patrons unable to utilise the facility, but from Friday, 4th February swimmers will relish the opportunity to make the most of the remaining summer with the pool reopening at 5.30am.
Western Downs Regional Council’s clean up crew have worked around the clock to bring the pool back to life after draining floodwater and removing fine sediment, whilst maintenance was carried out on electrical and mechanical equipment and the pools were refilled.
Spokesperson for Community Services, Councillor Charlene Hall said The pool is looking great once again and I personally want to thank Pool Manager Carolen Collins and all her wonderful volunteers for helping with the clean up,†she said.
Cr Hall thanked Arrow Energy, General Petroleum and Ancon Drilling for providing essential equipment and volunteers to assist Council with the clean up operation, and Adam Luck Electrical.
She said it was a great joint effort from Council staff and local business and industry to get the pool back up and running. It has been truly inspiring to see how local businesses and industry have rallied around to help the pool bounce back, I really have to take my hat off to them all. We’re pleased that the local pool is now ready and open for business as normal,†she said.
Submitted by Brett Hoefler,
Corporate Communication and Marketing Officer,
Western Downs Regional Council
A working bee is being organised to clean up flood debris along Myall Creek in Dalby this Saturday.
The effects of the December and last month’s floods is evident with a high amount of rubbish and debris cluttering the creek. That’s just part of the clean up task facing Western Downs Regional Council and Condamine Alliance and they are calling for help this Saturday.
Spokesperson for Environment and Health, Councillor George Moore said the majority of the debris is along the creek line that runs through the centre of town. There’s quite a lot of flood debris and rubbish entwined through creek bank trees and amongst vegetation as well, strewn across nearby green spaces and parkland and we’d appreciate any help from people who wish to volunteer their time,†he said.
Residents who can help out are encouraged to contact the Council on 4672 1172, or volunteers can turn up on the day. You should bring sturdy gloves and a rake, wear enclosed shoes, hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.
Volunteers are asked to meet at the Rotunda on Jimbour Street at 9am on Saturday, 5th February.
Submitted by Environment & Health Section,
Western Downs Regional Council, phone 4672 1172
Up and coming Australian band, Amy Meredith, fresh from their recent gig at The Big Day Out in Sydney and their appearance at the tennis championship finals, will be in Toowoomba for a Flood Relief Appeal concert on Friday night, 18th of February. They are signed to Sony and 4 of the tracks from their album have been released as singles. The second release, Lying, went platinum and was adopted as the theme song for the American TV show “Lie to Me”. Kosta (their drummer)is from Toowoomba, and they were only too ready to help the cause.
Amy Meredith will be supported by Finnibah who are doing very well for themselves, and also have several members from the Toowoomba area. Local band Da Foe are also in the lineup. Tickets are on sale from Groceries & More Convenience Store in Margaret Street, Toowoomba (a few doors east of the Tatts Hotel) for $40. Rhonda Theodosis who is arranging the concert is hoping to raise $30,000 for the Toowoomba Appeal. She says it is for ALL AGES. The venue is the Indoor Bowls Hall in Annand Street and doors open at 7.00pm on Friday, 18th of February.
Amy Meredith members will also be part of an Appeal Celebrity Day at OZ E Karts from 10am to 4.00pm on Saturday, 19th February.
Further information from Rhonda Theodosis
Phone 4632 0544 or mobile 0437 532 908.