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Workshops Explain Succession Planning June 4, 2007 - The Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation, in conjunction with AusIndustry, is presenting two Succession Planning workshops in the South Burnett this month. The workshops will be held on June 12 at Kingaroy TAFE College and on June 13 at the new conference centre at Bahun Jal Mono at Ficks Crossing, near Murgon. They will cover topics such as smooth inter-generational handovers, exit strategies to reduce tax and retirement options. Cost is $30. For more information - including starting times - and to book, phone BIEDO on (07) 5484-1652.

ASK Flying High on Biz June 1, 2007 - Peter McNamara, from Air Services Kingaroy (ASK), is the latest South Burnett business to take advantage of a free poster page on Southburnett.biz. ASK is based at Kingaroy Airport and offers flight training in recreational aircraft as well as recreational aircraft maintenance, overhauls and repairs. Peter can be contacted on (07) 4163-2733 or by email

Relay For Life On Again! May 31, 2007 - The South Burnett Relay For Life community fund-raising event - which was such a huge success last year! - is on again in August but at a new venue ... the Kingaroy Showgrounds. The event will start at 3pm on Saturday August 25 and conclude at 9am on Sunday August 26. Teams of between 10 and 15 people will each aim to raise $1000 to aid in the fight against cancer. Last year in Kingaroy 44 teams raised an amazing $71,000 for cancer research and patient services! For more information about this year's event, visit the Relay For Life website or phone Storme Vunderink on 0411-339-772.

Craig Lowndes To Visit For Store Opening May 30, 2007 - Australian V8 Supercar driver and 2006 Bathurst 1000 winner Craig Lowndes (right) will be coming to Kingaroy on Saturday to be the guest at the grand opening of Star Tyrepower's renovated premises at 190 Haly Street. Lowndes will be in-store to meet fans and sign autographs. Star Tyrepower's Peter Ploetz has also organised a sausage sizzle from 10am-2pm and there will be a live broadcast by Radio C-FM to add to the atmosphere.

Community Fund Calls For Submissions May 29, 2007 - Rio Tinto Coal Australia's Tarong Mine Community Development Fund is calling for applications for its funding round which closes on June 15. Since 1999, the fund has distributed almost $1.2 million to community-led projects in Kingaroy, Nanango and the northern part of Rosalie Shire. It aims to assist projects that will help local communities meet economic, social and educational challenges. Guidelines are available from Margie Magnussen on (07) 4160-7231.

Tarong Energy Opens Info Centre May 28, 2007 - Tarong Energy has opened a information centre in Yarraman to provide local communities and property owners in the New Acland and Kunioon coal transport corridors with information about the project. The centre is located at 13A Margaret Street (opposite the IGA Supermarket) and is open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am to 5pm. A community sausage sizzle will be held outside the centre this Friday (June 1) from noon-4pm.

Last Chance To Have Your Say On Council Mergers! May 25, 2007 - 5pm today is the deadline for councillors, council employees, ratepayers ... in fact anyone concerned about the forced amalgamation of local councils ... to have their say to the review commitee. The Local Government Association of Queensland-sponsored website Local Democracy explains how you can make a formal submission to the State Government (which may be a bit late now) but also includes a feedback form which will be forwarded to Premier Peter Beattie, Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser and State MPs. This is an opportunity for all residents to have their say on what the future boundaries of our South Burnett councils should look like.

Shadylane Vineyard To Host Meet and Greet May 24, 2007 - The Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry's May Meet'n'Greet will be held from 5:30pm next Monday at Shadylane Vineyard Cottages, 293 Weekes Road. Topics for discussion include: An overview from Kingaroy Shire Council on the council amalgamation issue, Discussion re the retention of historic railway infrastructure in the CBD, A presentation by South Burnett CTC on student work placements, and An overview of planning for the new-look 2007 Peanut Festival. KCCI members ($11) and non-members ($14) are invited to attend but for catering purposes, please RSVP to the Chamber today on (07) 4162-8466.

2007 Wine Conference in Toowoomba May 23, 2007 - South Burnett wineries and grape growers have been invited to attend the 2007 Wine Business Conference which will be held in Toowoomba on July 24. Conference topics include consumer trends in wine, marketing and branding, vineyard management and inventory management. Cost is $45 (including lunch). Booking forms and more information can be downloaded from the State Government's wine industry development website.

The Peanut Van To Open Shop In Brisbane SCOOP! May 22, 2007 - Almost two years to the day since we announced that Kingaroy's iconic tourism attraction The Peanut Van was expanding to Childers, another new outlet is opening ... this time in Brisbane. Owners Rob and Chris Patch announced today that trading will commence at the new store, located at 725 Gympie Road, Chermside, on June 15 with an "official" opening planned for later in the month. This is a traditional shop-front store rather than a van but will still feature the full range of peanuts and peanut products available in Kingaroy. A DVD will provide information about growing peanuts and the peanut industry. Rob said there were also plans underway for a fourth outlet to open within six months elsewhere in Queensland. And of course, it is still business as usual at Kingaroy and Childers!

QUT Team Challenges For UAV Title May 21, 2007 - Competitors are deadly serious about the $60,000 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Challenge - Outback Rescue competition - to be held in Kingaroy from September 24-27 this year. The Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation's competition is the first of its kind in Australia and is open to secondary and university students, as well as hobbyists and film makers. A QUT team posted the following sneak peek of their entry on video-sharing website YouTube last week ... they've thrown down the gauntlet! (press play button)

MP Proud of Investment in Swickers May 18, 2007 - Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory and Barkers Creek Pork have featured at one of Asia's premier food and hospitality trade events, HOFEX 2007, held in Hong Kong this week. State Development Minister John Mickel said he was proud to see Swickers at HOFEX 2007 and listed the State grants which he said at helped Swickers increase its global markets. A grant of $50,000 enabled Swickers to implement an export development plan, then $657,000 allowed it to upgrade its domestic slaughter floor to export standard while a third grant of $100,000 helped it to implement world-class best practices, he said.

Coastal Displays To Woo Tourists Inland May 17, 2007 - South Burnett Visitor Information Centre manager Carolyn Knudsen reports that the South Burnett now has a dedicated display space at Noosa Marina, Maroochydore and Kawana Visitor Information Centres and - as of next week - Caloundra. The displays, designed to tempt coastal tourists inland, will be in place until the end of August. The recently released Kingaroy map (right) will also be distributed in Visitor Information Centres at Maroochydore, Glass House Mountains, Pine Rivers, Lockyer Valley, Eidsvold, Maryborough Fraser Coast, Hervey Bay and all South Burnett VICs.

BIEDO Workshops Scheduled Throughout South Burnett May 16, 2007 - The Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation (BIEDO) will be offering a series of business workshops (52kb PDF) in the region over the next few months. Workshops in succession management are scheduled for Kingaroy, Murgon, Kilkivan, Nanango and Wondai. Download a flyer (245kb). Workshops in financial management are planned for Murgon, Blackbutt, Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai, Proston, Kilkivan and Goomeri. Download a flyer (67kb). For more information about this program, which has been funded by AusIndustry, contact BIEDO on (07) 5484-1652.

Women ... It's Time To Shine! May 15, 2007 - The 2007 Queensland Smart Women - Smart State Awards are seeking nominations to shine the spotlight on women (or girls) achieving great things in science, engineering or information and communication technology. There are 13 categories - and a total prize pool of $32,500 - so why not nominate yourself or someone you know! Entrants can be secondary students, under-graduates or post-graduates, women in industry / business or women in the community / public sector. For more information, visit the Smart Women Awards website or download the flyer (79kb PDF)

Super Seminar in Kingaroy April 14, 2007 - Sunsuper is hosting a seminar for employers in Kingaroy next month to explain the Federal Government changes to superannuation which come into effect on July 1. The employer update will be held from 9am-11am on June 1 at the Kingaroy RSL. It will focus on budget changes and financial planning from an employer perspective, with keynote speakers from the ATO and Commerce Queensland. For more information, contact Dave Murgatroyd on (07) 5479-5399, visit the Sunsuper website or download a flyer (247kb PDF)

Drought Tolerant Plants in Murgon May 11, 2007 - A new listing on SBBiz is the Delheidia Nursery at 15180 Bunya Highway, Murgon. The business, run by Adele Shepherd and Dianne Pour, features drought-tolerant native plants and ornamentals and also sells water crystals to help keep plants healthy in these dry times. Adele and Diana can be contacted on (07) 4168-3845 or by email

First Meeting of New Wine Club May 10, 2007 - Do you love wine? Then the inaugural meeting of the South Burnett Wine Appreciation Society tomorrow from 7:30pm at the 1913 Council Chambers in Edward Street, Kingaroy, should be a highlight of your week! The idea for the new group has come from Tony Harrington who was a member of a similar group in the Granite Belt before moving recently to the local area. The proposal is to form a social club which holds tastings, lunches, dinners etc and generally has a good time. Tomorrow night's meeting will discuss ideas for the new club. For more information, contact Tony on 0428-982-703 or by email

Sunny Ridge Gardens Re-Opens To Public May 9, 2007 - One of the South Burnett's prettiest gardens and outdoor wedding venues, Sunny Ridge Gardens, at 118 Couchmans Road, Kingaroy, is back open to the public after a short closure. Owner Kathy Masters said the gardens are now open 10:00am to 5:00pm on Thursdays to Sundays (entry by donation). Other times and light refreshments can also be arranged. Visitors are invited to wander through the acres of gardens which are also suitable for functions and photo sessions. Buses are also welcome. For more information, contact Kathy on (07) 4162-7090.

Why Do You Love Living In Kingaroy? May 8, 2008 - Children ... here's your chance to win great prizes during Kingaroy Shire Council's Queensland Week Colouring-In Competition. All children in Kingaroy Shire are invited to submit a drawing on A4 paper depicting what they love most about living in the Kingaroy region. Attach your name, address, age, school grade and school name to the entry and either drop it into the Visitor Information Centre in Haly Street (opposite the peanut silos) or mail to PO Box 272, Kingaroy, 4610 by Thursday May 24. Also add a description of the drawing (up to 50 words). The good news is you can enter as many times as you like! The entries will go on display at the Visitor Information Centre during Queensland Week (June 3-10)