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New Website For Taabinga Homestead April 11, 2006 - The historic Taabinga Homestead, (right), located at 7 Old Taabinga Road, Haly Creek (just south of Kingaroy), has unveiled a new website. The B&B offers accommodation in cottages in the gardens of the 1846 homestead which is also home to the annual Taabinga Spring Musical Festival. Owners Colin Marshall and Libby Leu can be contacted on (07) 4164-5531 or by email.

Community Store Opens in Kingaroy Street April 10, 2006 - The Kingaroy Community Store - staffed entirely by volunteers - opened its doors for the first time today at 99 Kingaroy Street (next door to Ogdens Real Estate). Olivine Rowe, Mercia Murray and Mary Cox will stock secondhand clothing, furniture, toys and bric-a-brac and all profits will go to local charities and projects. The shop is open from 9:30am to 4:00pm on weekdays. The trio is also looking for donations of items to be sold. Pick-up and delivery of large items is available. You can contact them on (07) 4162-1920.

KCCI Farewells Project Officer April 7, 2006 - The Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday farewelled Project Officer Lynnelle Richardson (right) who has resigned to take up a contract with Education Queensland. Lynnelle has been the "voice" of the KCCI on Radio KFM and in the Kingaroy Mail for more than two years and will be sadly missed. She was also the mover and shaker behind the Chamber's popular "Women In Business" group as well as toiling away in the background on many events such as the Kingaroy Christmas Carnival, Peanut Festival, Business Awards etc. The position is advertised in today's South Burnett Times and further details will also be available soon on the KCCI's website. All the best Lynnelle!

Training For Budding Gym Stars April 6, 2006 - Allstar Gymnastics has opened a facility for budding gymnasts at 95 River Road, Kingaroy. The company has taken over an industrial shed and installed sprung floors, turning it into a purpose-built training facility. Manager Juanita Tones said the gym could cater for students aged 2 to adult (boys as well as girls!). Juanita said the training programs help to develop fine and gross motor skills and can also lead to the opportunity of taking part in competitive events. For more information, phone Allstar on (07) 4162-5870.

Luke Takes Over Community ISP April 5, 2006 - Former Burnett.net.au employee Luke Radunz, who left the BIEDO-established community ISP several years ago to establish his own company Datawave IT, has returned with a vengeance ... he has purchased his old employer! Burnett.net.au will still be based at 20 Mackenzie Street, Wondai, and all the contact details will remain the same. Datawave IT also offers computer sales, repairs and maintenance; network installation and maintenance and sells both home and business software.

Open Bower Unveils New Poster Page April 4, 2006 - Wondai-based home decor and gift store Open Bower is the latest South Burnett business to take advantage of an SBBiz poster page. Chris and Elizabeth Stewart recently opened Open Bower at Shop 4, 34 Mackenzie Street, Wondai. The couple stocks a range of different and unusual decorative items at "less than city prices". The can be reached on (07) 4169-0666 or by email

Alan and Marion Have It All Stitched Up April 3, 2006 - Alan and Marion Lees have opened a unique accommodation venue just outside Kingaroy targeted at a specialist market of crafty people, quilters and sewers. The Quilter's Rest is located on their 850 acre 'Tamalba' cattle property at 562 Weens Road. Guests are invited to being their "UFOs" (unfinished objects) and share sewing time with friends. Classes in quilting, embroidery, needlework, doll-making, scrap-booking and other crafts are also available. Weekend stays are offered from Friday through to Sunday. Weekdays are also available (minimum stay two days). For more information, phone (07) 4162-3987.

Peter Retires From A&S March 31, 2006 - Peter Shanahan has retired from Kingaroy engineering company Ashcroft and Shanahan Engineering Services, leaving Steve Ashcroft at the helm. However A&S, located at 1-3 Stolzenberg Rd, isn't planning on changing its name which is well-known throughout the South Burnett. A&S do commercial and industrial welding, boilermaking and fitting and also have a mobile service which can come to you. They can be contacted on (07) 4162-8299 or by email.

Building Up Business in Goomeri March 30, 2006 - A new listing on SBBiz is Kovatex Pty Ltd, the business name for Goomeri builder John Taylor. John, a member of the HIA, is registered with QBuild and says "no job is too big". As well as home-building and commercial sheds he also does renovations. Kovatex can be contacted on (07) 4168-4416 or by email.

All Installs From All_Installz March 29, 2006 - Wondai couple Steven and Leah Good have opened a specialist business to service the satellite and radio communications market. All_Installz handles the installation of CBs, UHF and VHF radios in cars and trucks as well as mobile telephone hands-free kits. However they also handle the installation of satellite equipment to handle pay TV and free-to-air services. The business services the whole South Burnett as well as west to Chinchilla and north to Gayndah. It can be contacted on (07) 4164-1047 or by email

March Tourism Talk March 28, 2006 - South Burnett Local Government Association Tourism Project Officer Narelle Duggan has released the March edition of South Burnett Tourism Talk, a regular newsletter on tourism happenings around the region. This edition includes information about the 2006 Brisbane Escape Expo, the Qld Wine Business Conference and the Great Bunya Drive project. Click here to download Tourism Talk (327kb PDF)

The Peanut Van Features In Tourism Newsletter March 27, 2006 - The Autumn 2006 edition of South East Queensland Country Club newsletter (right), which is distributed to subscribers all over Australia by Tourism Queensland, features an article on Kingaroy's very own The Peanut Van. Owners Rob and Chris Patch have been around peanuts all their lives. Chris is the daughter of local growers John and Lorna Bauer and Rob has been growing peanuts for 37 years. They purchased The Peanut Van off Ruth Davis in 1999. PS. Did you know The Peanut Van originally began its life under the name "Murrumba Star"?

New Map For Qld Wine Industry March 24, 2006 - Queensland's first wine tourist map - covering all wine regions including the South Burnett - has been released by Hema Maps. The new map, which will sell for $9.95, was officially released yesterday by State Tourism and Wine Industry Development Minister Margaret Keech however local tourism operators got a sneek preview at the recent South Burnett Tourism Association AGM at Moffatdale Ridge cellar door. The map includes 170 wineries in 10 wine-producing regions and will be available both nationally and internationally.

Mark Relocates To Kingaroy March 23, 2006 - Mortgage consultant Mark Newman, formerly operating out of Nanango, has opened an office in Kingaroy. South Burnett Mortgage Solutions is located upstairs at 26 King Street. Mark offers house and land finance services as well as access to car and personal loans, commercial lending and debt consolidation. He can be contacted on (07) 4162-5574 or by by email

Sapphire On The Move March 22, 2006 - South Burnett businesswomen Giulia Bonfanti will be relocating her Sapphire Natural Therapies business from Wondai to Kingaroy from April 1. Sapphire, which had been based on a rural property, will re-open at Shop 4, 193 Haly Street. The new telephone number will be (07) 4162-3388. Giulia offers massage therapy, Sekhem and Reiki healing, meditation and manufactures her own natural cosmetics under the Soul Sisters brand name.

Official Opening of $2.5m Aquatic Centre March 21, 2006 - The $2.5 million South Burnett Aquatic Centre in Nanango will be officially opened at 10:30am today by Andrew Fraser MP (Parliamentary Secretary to Premier Peter Beattie). This is the official ceremony (and the public are welcome to come along!) but the centre has actually been open to swimmers since September 19 last year and has been attracting good crowds. The centre includes an eight-lane indoor pool, learn to swim pool and a full-size hydrotherapy pool. Also in attendance at today's opening will be representatives from the Federal Government and Tarong Energy who contributed to the project.

Workshop To Focus on Demographic Changes March 20, 2006 - A workshop on the "impacts and opportunities" presented by an ageing population will be held in Kingaroy on April 6. The workshop, to be held at the South Burnett Enterprise Centre from 10am-noon, will discuss the "Wide Bay Region: Demographic and Economic Change Analysis" report commissioned by the State Government and the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils. For more information, contact the Bundaberg State Development Centre on (07) 4151-9700.

Two New Faces on SBTA Executive March 17, 2006 - Moffatdale Ridge cellar door was packed last night for the annual general meeting of the South Burnett Tourism Association. Two new members were elected to the Executive: John Boland (vice-president) from Shadylane Farm Cottages and John Bjelke-Petersen (management committee) from Bethany Cottages. Re-elected were president Carolyn Stone (Passchendaele Farmstay), secretary Tricia Wheaton (Barambah Bush Caravan Park) and treasurer Max Lehmann (Rock-al-Roy). Management committee members re-elected were Bruce Hurley (The Left Bank) and Allan Walters (Yallakool Tourist Park).

Webcam Gives Tourists A Preview March 16, 2006 - Did you know there's now a tourism webcam overlooking Kingaroy's O'Neill Square which allows you to watch what's happening in real time? The webcam, which is mounted on a pole above the Old Railway Station, can be accessed here. It is part of a larger regional project which will also eventually include webcams at the Bunya Mountains and Hervey Bay. The controls are in Japanese but are easy to use. Clicking on the large button allows you to control the camera for a limited time. The sliders rotate the lens and zoom.

Dream With Me In Cyberspace March 15, 2006 - Most of the businesses listed on SBBiz are "bricks and mortar" shops or home-based tradespeople but there are some that exist in cyberspace alone. One such Internet business belongs to Kingaroy-based artist and writer Cindy Laws who sells her artwork through her Nangami Janaiwee website and EBay store Nangami Janaiwee, or "Dream With Me", features artworks by Cindy, Adam and Shannon Laws as well as cultural items such as boomerangs, coolamons and didjeridoos.