Sunday, 26th July from 12 Noon
Toowoomba Regional Council will officially open the newly reconstructed $3.7 million Middle Road at Anduramba, near Crow’s Nest 10am, Saturday July 25.
The ceremony with TRC Mayor Paul Antonio and Infrastructure Services Committee Chair Cr Carol Taylor will take place approximately 1km from the end of the road closest to the Anduramba Hall. A function will then follow in the hall.
Middle Road now becomes the main access to the Anduramba district from Crow’s Nest after the previous access, Anduramba Range Road, was closed due to slippages following floods events in 2011 and 2013.
Directions to Middle Road from Toowoomba:
The project was funded through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) with 75% of funding coming from the Federal Government and 25% from the Queensland government.
Queensland Music Festival (QMF) and Opera Queensland are expecting crowds of more than 8,000 people to flock to a Western Downs paddock for one of the state’s most iconic free music events, Opera at Jimbour, on Saturday, 25th July at Jimbour Station Amphitheatre.
In 2015, the popular event will present a semi-staged concert version of Johann Strauss’ Fledermaus, performed by OperaQ soloists, its Toowoomba Community Chorus, and Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrew Mogrelia.
Fledermaus (aka The Bat) is a champagne operetta that tells a risque tale of hidden identity, deception and revenge. The story sees a philandering husband caught in the act at Prince Orlovsky’s masked ball †as is his equally adventurous wife. Their night of illicit pleasure unravels in jail the next morning as the masks come off and true identities are revealed.
Renowned Australian baritone Jason Barry-Smith and OperaQ darling Emily Burke will share the stage with a fabulous cast of Queensland’s favourite singers including Shaun Brown, Virgilio Marino and Hayley Sugars as the cross-dressing Prince Orlovsky.
In a first for Opera at Jimbour, audience members will be invited to join in during the famous ballroom scene, by donning masks and waltzing with the orchestra. There will also be pre-show waltz lessons.
Opera at Jimbour has been in the Festival’s program since 2003 and QMF Artistic Director James Morrison said it had become wildly popular, attracting more and more people at each event.
“Opera at Jimbour is the perfect event for opera aficionados and first-timers alike,†Mr Morrison said. “Enjoying a picnic among the beautiful setting of the Darling Downs; basking in the winter sunlight with friends and family; listening to stunning, world-class music for free; it doesn’t get much better than that.
“With our friends at OperaQ we have really upped the ante for this year’s event. There are opportunities for audience participation, and we hope it allows people to experience opera on an even more intimate level and to enjoy the event that much more.â€Â
Opera at Jimbour is presented by Queensland Music Festival, Western Downs Regional Council, Opera Queensland and Russell Pastoral, and is proudly supported by Empire Theatres, Coates Hire, It’s Live! In Queensland, and ABC Southern Queensland.
For more information visit qmf.org.au
The colourful and exciting works by 40 young indigenous artists is on display at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery following the launch of the Talk Up! Augmented Reality Art Stories exhibition.
The creative works were generated during six arts and media workshops run by University of Southern Queensland (USQ) educators Dr Janice Jones and Dr Lindy Abawi.
The Whaddup Indigenous Youth Group were also assisted by USQ student volunteers from the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and the Arts (BELA).
Dr Jones said the multimedia art works were a medium for the indigenous artists to share their voice. “Dance, song, visual arts and digital media allow young people to speak in very powerful and creative ways,â€Â
Dr Jones said. “Sharing works like this helps each artist to recognise the uniqueness and the value of their voice. My work as an educator allows me to create spaces for trans-formation â€and that is one of the most important aspects of teaching and voluntary work.â€Â
The Talk Up! Augmented Reality Art Stories exhibition will run until August 9. Elder Dr Herb Wharton and Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio attended the launch and commented on the wonderful uses of digital technologies.
The artworks include films of 20 young people sharing their future dreams, songs and dances through virtual reality overlays. Renowned Indigenous Artist Kim Walmsley installed the display, and offered the Acknowledgement of Country at the launch.
For further information download the Aurasma app and search for “Whaddup†to view the art works.
Submitted by:
Sarah Balderson Green
email: sarah.balderson@usq.edu.au
This weekend’s Camellia and Winter Flower Show will see the official Queensland launch of an amazing new bloom, the hybrid camellia “Pinktastic.â€Â This hybrid was developed by world-renowned plant breeder Mr Bob Cherry and will be released by one of the nation’s largest plant-breeding companies, New South Wales-based Paradise Seed Company.
The Camellia and Winter Flower Show Secretary, and President of the Queensland Camellia Society, Ms Lynette Shailer said “The timing of this announcement is fortuitous. We have been planning the Show for over twelve months and have assembled an extraordinary array of camellias, shrubs, plants, exhibitions, demonstrations, speakers and entertainment.
“Our Toowoomba Camellia Show has long been regarded as one of the finest in the state, if not in Australia. To pull off this coup just days out from the Show is really going to put the city and region in the national spotlight.â€Â
A limited number of attendees are in for a real treat as 50 of the new Pinktastic camellias will be for sale. In a unique collaboration, iconic nurseries Coroneos and Springs Garden World have joined together to make sure the plants make it safely to Toowoomba. Mr Peter Coroneos has generously undertaken to collect the plants which will be subsequently sold at the Show by Springs Garden World.
The Camellia and Winter Flower Show will be convened at TAFE Queensland South West’s Horticultural Centre in Campbell Street, Toowoomba on Saturday and Sunday, 18 and 19 July. Gates open each day at 9.00am and close at 4.00pm. Entry is just $5 with all proceeds going to the Toowoomba Hospice.
The Show also features the incredible “Dawnie†open garden at 2 Dawnie Street Toowoomba. The garden features beautiful camellias and a kaleidoscope of trees, some dating back to the 1920’s, as well as hundreds of shrubs and magnificent garden features. The garden is open on each of the two days from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Entry is also $5 and the Toowoomba Hospice is again the beneficiary.
Hospice Chairman Graham Barron urged citizens to attend the event and said, “The Show is emerging as one of the must-attend Toowoomba and region events. We invite you to marvel at the riches nature has bestowed upon this unique city and region.â€Â
Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio has offered support to his counterparts in Wanganui, New Zealand, as they begin a massive clean-up following the biggest flood in the city’s history. Toowoomba and Wanganui have shared a Sister City relationship for more than 30 years.
The Wanganui River broke its banks after more than 100mm of rain fell in 24 hours, causing damage to homes and businesses, significant loss of livestock and widespread soil erosion.
Photos Bevan Conley
Mayor Antonio said “I spoke with the Deputy Mayor. Hamish McDouall and offered our support as well as the use of water decontamination equipment if required. Knowing the practical and emotional toll of our flood in 2010-11, the people of Wanganui are no doubt feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead, if we can help in any way, we certainly will.”
There was a bigger than expected turnout to enjoy the festivities and new facilities during the official opening of the upgraded Wilsonton Heights Park on Sunday June 21st.
The $1m park development includes link paths through groves of trees, extensive dog off-leash areas with dog agility equipment, a fenced children’s playground area, a skate/bike pumptrack, exercise equipment, a community lawn and stage area.
Sunday’s event was held from 11am with family activities including laser skirmish, a jumping castle, face painting, inflatable soccer world, Parkfit group sessions, Indigenous dance and storytelling.
A sausage sizzle and refreshments wereavailable during the opening celebrations for the cost of a gold coin donation to the Wilsonton Heights Community Centre.
Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio, who officially opened the park, said the design had been community-driven to cater for a wide range of users.
The Wilsonton Heights Park Development Project is a joint initiative of Toowoomba Regional Council and the Queensland Government.