The weekly program keeping you up to date with Toowoomba Regional Council’s facilities, activities and services.
Council Connections with Darren Burton
In this edition Darren runs through the Waste Management Centre hours, the Australia Day nominations, the Damian Cox bursary, doing council business online, roadworks, etc.
The township of Crow’s Nest, just north of Toowoomba, is set to host the annual worm races this Saturday. Featuring the Perseverance Cup and run over an 18 inch course, the racing worms are in training and on a special diet to produce the fastest times – whatever the weather. Tourist and Progress Secretary Marg Barnes said that the track may be wet on the day but the worms won’t mind. Early favourite is Crafty Crow by Happy Hand out of The Nest Timeâ€, Mrs Barnes said, but Pipe Dream by Tunnel Runner out of Wivenhoe also has some solid backingâ€.
The worm races are just part of the fun day festival being held at Crow’s Nest this Saturday. There will be a fun run, whip cracking, hay bale stacking, the Australian Crow Calling Championships as well as two free concerts by Brendon Walmsley and plenty of entertainment. Food and drinks and stalls will also be around the park. The grand procession heads out at noon, led by the Toowoomba Caledonian Pipe Band, and the Heritage fireworks go off with a bang at 8pm.
The ten day festival finishes with the Poets Breakfast at Highfields Pioneer Village on the Sunday 24th.
All of the up to date information can be found at the festival website on www.crowsnestfestival.com.au
A dynamic group of agency stakeholders gathered in the Western Downs region with the aim of supporting and connecting people and organisations that have an interest and passion for maintaining and/or improving the well being of the people in the Western Downs region.
The Western Downs Communities Network (WDCN) lead network partners include RHealth, Western Downs Regional Council, Department of Communities, Spiritus and Queensland Health.
The Network established in 2009 through funding provided by the Toowoomba & Darling Downs Partnership Council (TaDDPC). This work was undertaken within the existing capacity of partner agencies and local community members.
The Network welcomed Natalie Drake-Brockman who commenced as the part time Western Downs Communities Network Coordinator in August 2010. The Coordinator role was also made possible through the acquisition of further funding from TaDDPC.
The Network believes a multi-strategic approach is required to reduce the incidence of chronic disease. It has been identified through good evidence that a range of interventions are more effective in preventing chronic disease and in promoting health and wellbeing.
The most effective health promotion strategies are those that address the individual, social and environmental determinants of health. This approach incorporates many sections of the community, for example, transport, urban planning, environment, sport and recreation, education, health and welfare.
The Network has been involved with the following activities to date:
Community Forum
In March 2010, 60 agencies/community members provided input and identified a number of opportunities for action to promote health and wellbeing in the Region. There are now over 150 network members across the whole region on the communications database.
WDCN Meetings
Ongoing coordination of regular regional Network meetings (inviting all 150 network members) to identify local community needs including sector capacity building, infrastructure and services. The Network also aims to have representation at local Interagency meetings.
Community Heart Beat Fund
$25,000 was made available as a part of the TaDDPC funding package. This allowed the Network to develop a funding program for eligible capacity building projects that promote healthy living, well being and community cohesion and could be delivered to their respective communities before 31 May 2011. Submissions closed on Thursday 30 September 2010.
Capacity Building Training
Planning is underway to introduce training for all Not For Profit (NFP) organisations to arm their staff with the tools to successfully attract public and private sector funding and manage community projects.
Community members are encouraged to email Natalie Drake-Brockman, Western Downs Communities Coordinator at westerndownscn@gmail.com if they would like to communicate a need in their locality
Natalie Drake-Brockman
Western Downs Communities Network (WDCN) Coordinator
westerndownscn@gmail.com Ph 0401 293 841
The Toowoomba Hospice is a six bed facility which offers respite and palliative care for the terminally ill. As part of our ongoing fundraising efforts, the Toowoomba Hospice is holding its ‘‘Trash Ya Hair for Hospice Care!’ this month. ‘Trash Ya Hair for Hospice Care!’ week is aimed at raising the awareness and profile of the Toowoomba Hospice in our local community.
Each participating organisation selects a day during the ‘Trash Ya Hair for Hospice Care!’ month in which participants are encouraged to make a donation to the Hospice by colouring, moussing, gelling or shaving their hair. All monies raised on the day are donated to the Toowoomba Hospice with Prizes for Most money raised by:
* An individual
* A business
* A club or community group*
* A school*
*To make it fair monies raised will be divided by total participants, ensuring a fair chance for all.
Ambrosiussen Accountants’ staff getting trashed for the Toowoomba Hospice
The Hospice is a community organisation which relies heavily on Toowoomba and the surrounding districts for support.
For further information please contact Mark Munro, Promotions & Fundraising Manager on 07 4659 8500 or email admin.toowoombahospice@bigpond.com
The past, present and future of cutting edge cars will be on display in a car lover’s heaven at the Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre this weekend. The second of the four weekend open days planned for the international exhibition Industrial Desire: Detroit Concept Cars.
This American exhibition features concept car models, drawings and film footage.
It is a unique opportunity to sneak a peek at the highly secretive and competitive world of car design and witness concept cars that are not normally seen outside of the industry.
After seeing the exciting concepts on display, take the opportunity to talk with like-minded enthusiasts over a BBQ hosted by Rotary Club of Toowoomba City.
Various car clubs from South East Queensland will be in attendance showcasing the role they play in preserving our transport history. This weekend’s participants include the Toowoomba VW Car Club and Top of the Range Street Machines. Special guest for the day is Skelta Racing with the performance vehicle that achieved great success at Targa Tasmania in May.
Also not to be missed is the upcoming presentation on Thursday 28 October by Professor Bryon Fitzpatrick formerly of the College of Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan. The presentation provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyday drivers and car dreamers to see the secrets and skills of the highly competitive field of concept car designers. Only the 10am session has seating available. Booking is essential.
Industrial Desire is presented by Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre through artisans in partnership with the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, and toured by Museum and Gallery Services Queensland.
The Transport and Main Roads Heritage Centre, located near the airport terminal on Mutze Street, is a hidden gem in Toowoomba with an engaging representation of the skill and dedication that goes in to connecting Queensland -Â from early pioneering days to current road building technologies.
Open this Sunday, 24 October from 10 – 2pm. Two other weekend open days have been planned for Saturday 6 November and Saturday 27 November.
The centre is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. The exhibition is on display until Saturday 27 November.
For more information contact Karen Barrett on 4633 2506 during business hours.
or email karen.l.barrett@tmr.qld.gov.au
Note: Group bookings are welcome
On Monday 25th October school students and their parents from across the Toowoomba region are invited to take part in a free Health and Fitness Industry Career Information Afternoon at the Harristown High School to explore the many career pathways available in the health and fitness industry.
This will be a great opportunity to talk face to face with a wide range of local employers and health professionals, and hear about a day in their life†and find out what their industry is really like.
Professionals available on the day will include a Doctor, Nurse, Fitness Instructor, Sports Coach, Physiotherapist, Oral Health Practitioner, Optometrist, Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Podiatrist and Midwife.
The afternoon will kick-off at 3.30, and will finish by approximately 5pm.
If you would like to attend please contact your school’s Vocational Education Coordinator for more information or just come along on the day.
If you are considering a career in Health or Fitness field or just want to know more about this rewarding industry, this is the perfect opportunity to hear real people, tell real stories about real jobs!
This event is an initiative developed by the Toowoomba Industry Schools Working Party.
Submitted by:
Scott Jones-Christ, Senior Program Officer
Office of Training Queensland – Darling Downs South West Region
Phone: 07 4687 2833 Fax: 07 3259 8728
More than 9000 Ergon Energy customers from Stanthorpe to Bundaberg had their power supply interrupted by fierce winds on Friday night and Saturday. Crews worked through Friday night and for most of Saturday, sometimes in appalling conditions, to restore power to almost all customers.
One of the worst affected areas was the Gin Gin hinterland, where six spans of high-voltage powerlines came down across the river about 3am on Saturday, interrupting the power supply to about 350 customers. Power has been restored to all apart from three pump stations and crews will return on Monday to complete the repairs.
Another challenge for crews was at Applethorpe, where a large pine tree came down on high-voltage powerlines on the New England Highway at 2.30am on Saturday, affecting about 1400 customers in the Stanthorpe region. Crews needed the assistance of additional machinery to remove the tree, so power could be restored before 1.30pm.
A further 1500 customers in the Stanthorpe region were affected by two other separate power supply interruptions on Saturday with a handful of customers not having their power restored until Sunday morning.
Other major power supply interruptions included:
• 1400 customers in Kearneys Spring and Middle Ridge for up to three hours from 4.10pm on Friday due to fallen powerlines.
• 1100 customers in Woodgate Beach and Buxton from 10.30pm on Friday until 12.45am on Saturday when powerlines came down on Coaches Road.
• 1200 customers on the southern outskirts of Bundaberg for 80 minutes from 5.35pm on Friday.
• 1750 customers in Scarness, Torquay, Urangan and Kawungan from 7.45pm on Friday up to 2am on Saturday due to damage to the network.
• 200 customers near Kingaroy from 10.05pm on Friday until 10.30am on Saturday because two poles came down in extremely wet locations.
• 150 customers in the Wondai region from 5.35am up to 1.50pm on Saturday due to a pole top fire near Charlestown in an area without immediate access for crews.
Several hundred customers across the vast area, including significant numbers in the Toowoomba and Maryborough areas, were affected by smaller outages to the high-voltage network or because their service lines came down.
Ergon Energy call centre operators reported that most customers had been understanding about the circumstances that led to the power supply interruptions and Ergon Energy thanks them for the patience while the damage was repaired.
In an unrelated incident, the power supply to about 120 customers in East and Central Toowoomba was interrupted from 11.30pm on Saturday until 1am on Sunday while crews repaired damaged to a pole struck in a motor vehicle accident.
submitted by
Ergon Energy Corporate Communications Manager Rod Rehbein (07) 4122 5371
Toowoomba Regional Council’s Toowoomba sports fields have been closed due to wet weather.
Council officers have suspended all training and fixtures at council-operated Toowoomba sports fields until further notice.
The venues are closed for safety reasons, both to protect people playing sport from possible injury and to protect playing surfaces from potential damage.
Authorised by Angus Moffatt
Toowoomba Regional Council Media Relations Officer
