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New Marketing Manager For Tourism Body July 14, 2009 - Fraser Coast South Burnett Regional Tourism has a new marketing manager, Nick Marks, who has joined the organisation fresh from the Southern Cross Ten TV network at Toowoomba. Mr Marks told the Fraser Coast Chronicle newspaper last week that his background would help him to successfully promote the Fraser Coast. Before joining Southern Cross Ten, Mr Marks was employed by a water sports company on the Gold Coast where he also owned a restaurant and catering company. Tourism Manager In For A Whale Of A Time

Fine Food Cafe To Open At Windera July 13, 2009 - Speciality fruit and vegetable supplier Windera Hydroponics is capitalising on its reputation for fine food by deciding to open a cafe on their farm about 30km north-west of Murgon. Owner Sarah Franciosa said the cafe would be opening on August 1 at 10 Morgans Road, Windera. Opening hours would be 8:00am-5:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays to Saturdays. Windera Hydroponics' salad lines, fruit and vegetables, fresh and dry herbs, and spices are also available at the farm or from the IGA supermarket in Wondai. Sarah can also arrange delivery to restaurants or other businesses available Windera Hydroponics can be contacted on (07) 4168-6098.

Sign To Boost Traffic For Great Bunya Drive July 10, 2009 - Fraser Coast South Burnett Tourism have re-skinned the old South Burnett tourism sign on the Bruce Highway, north of Gympie, to promote the Great Bunya Drive, Kilkivan and Goomeri, (above). The sign highlights the turn-off which tourists travelling from northwards from Brisbane or from the whale-watching areas on the coast must take to visit the South Burnett. The Great Bunya Drive passes through Murgon, Kingaroy, Nanango and Maidenwell to the Bunya Mountains and on to Dalby.

LNQ Moves Into The SBEC July 8, 2009 - Learning Network Queensland - which was formerly located in the old Glendon Street Bus Terminal and at the TAFE College - now operates from the IT Centre (Shed 1) at the South Burnett Enterprise Centre, 6 Cornish Street, Kingaroy. LNQ assists students of all ages with a range of accredited and non-accredited courses and provides support for distance education students as well as providing community access to computers and the Internet. Co-ordinator Donna Welch can be contacted on (07) 4162-4455.

Artwork So Good You Could Bottle It July 7, 2009 - Kingaroy artist and sculptor Mark Shellshear and Nanango winemaker James Taylor from Arabesque Wines have developed a creative partnership which should appeal to local residents and tourists looking for special gifts. Mark, (right), has hand-decorated a series of Arabesque wines with unique designs. Each bottle is filled with 2007 Arabesque Merlots or Chardonnays and is a striking piece of South Burnett art. The bottles are only available at the Arabesque Wines Cellar Door which is located at 28 Kimlin Street, Nanango (just behind the Nanango Showground). The cellar door is open at weekends or at other times by arrangement. Arabesque Wines can be contacted on (07) 4171-0365.

Field Day On Next Saturday! July 6, 2009 - The popular annual Nanango Small Farms Field Day will be held at the Nanango Racecourse from 9:00am next Saturday. The field day focuses on niche crops and animals that can be profitably farmed on small blocks as well as providing trade displays and heaps of live entertainment. This year's field day will include the Gumboot Challenge at 1:00pm, cheese tastings, a whip-cracking competition and dancing by the junior Wakka Wakka dancers. There'll also be an aerial display by the Australian Tandem Skydivers and country music from Graeme Jensen. Entry is just $3.00 and primary school children are free. For more information, contact John on (07) 4171-0469.

Some Recent Changes ... July 3, 2009 - Some recent Kingaroy business changes tracked on SBBiz: There are new owners at Wards Electrical in Kingaroy. Alan Rowen can be contacted on (07) 4162-1458. The award-winning Driver Training and Education has relocated into the former Radunz's Electrical premises at 4 Jarrah Street, Kingaroy. Steve and Karen Walters can be contacted on (07) 4163-6505 Grant and Lisa Brydon have taken over Kingie's Landscape and Nursery Supplies at 20 Somerset Street, Kingaroy. They can be contacted on (07) 4162-7299. If your business is moving ... or you notice a business in this directory which has either closed down or relocated, please drop us a quick email so we can amend the listing!

Opponents Have Beef About Pineapple Plans July 2, 2009 - A feedlot being proposed for Maidenwell could bring together two very different but iconic Queensland rural icons - beef cattle and pineapples - if it gets the green light from the South Burnett Regional Council and overcomes the objections of some vocal but anonymous local opponents. Bethonga Whole Foods Managing Director Gavin Robinson told SBBiz composted manure from the feedlot would be used on the company's pineapple plantations at Wamuran which supply supermarket chains including Coles and food processors such as Golden Circle. He said about five years ago Bethonga had begun working on ways to make its farms as sustainable as possible and during this process had identified composted feedlot manure as an ideal fertiliser. However this was quite costly to obtain. "We could see the commercial benefits of owning and controlling as much of the supply chain as possible," Mr Robinson said. The decision wasn't hard as he had grown up on a cattle property at Gympie. If the feedlot is approved, Bethonga plans to eventually market their own line of beef. They have applied for a 2500-head feedlot but initially plan to stock 1000 head, allowing room for expansion. "The effluent ponds will be built above 100-year flooding levels and constructed in a manner that they can't overflow. We will also be using the Keenan system where the cattle are fed less grain rations and higher fibre to reduce odour," Mr Robinson said. "We're not going to do it in a half-baked manner. We want to work with the community." Anti-feedlot lobbyists have distributed an anonymous flyer throughout the Maidenwell district opposing the development. The group claims it will increase heavy vehicle traffic, be a danger to residents, tourists and wildlife on local roads; increase odour, breed flies and lead to effluent washing into Barker Creek.

Key Event Will Hit Right Note For Kindy July 1, 2009 - Kumbia Kindergarten's popular fundraiser Jazz on the Lawn will swing into action on Sunday August 30 in the grounds of Cardowan Homestead at Ironpot. This year's festival will feature music by the Windy City Jazz Band, a Sculpture in the Garden exhibition, fine food and local wines. A selection of gourmet picnic hampers will be available for purchase on the day and a bus service will run to and from Kingaroy and Kumbia at a small cost. Numbers are limited. For further information and ticket purchases, phone Clare Waterworth on 0488-550-358. ABOVE: Euan Crane and Ruby Greenup are a couple of the young swingers who'll be enjoying Jazz On The Lawn this year.

Local Artists On The Web June 30, 2009 - Two South Burnett artists have recently unveiled new websites to display their artworks to a wider audience. Works by Kingaroy artist Rischelle Brooks, (right), can be found at www.rischelle.com.au while Murgon artist Lee Porter can be found at www.leeporter.com.au. Both should be familiar to local residents as they have displayed their works at local galleries but Lee has also gone further afield, with works by her shown in New York late last year. Rischelle has an exhibition at present at the Goomeri Fine Art Gallery at 26 Boonara Street while Lee will be exhibiting at Goomeri in August.

Spotlight On Essdale Park June 29, 2009 - Kilkivan lavender farm Essdale Park and its range of skincare products featuring organic beeswax have attracted the attention of the local media. Owner Diane Elliott and her products were featured in a recent story in the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper. She now has six balm products catering for everyone from babies to gardeners. Diane can be contacted by email or visit her website

Wine Industry Releases New Map June 26, 2009 - The South Burnett Wine Industry Association has released the latest version of its South Burnett Wine Map, (right). The brochure includes an up-to-date touring map showing the location of wineries and cellardoors, accommodation providers and food and other attractions. There are also contact details for other local attractions such as the Maidenwell Observatory and regional cuisine outlets such as the Aussie Dragon Fruit Farm. Copies of the brochure are available at cellardoors and other outlets throughout the region.

Kelly's On The Move Again! June 25, 2009 - Kelly Taffe's Kelees Makeup Artistry, which re-opened in May in King Street, Kingaroy, is on the move again ... this time to The Artists Cottage complex at Taabinga Village (opposite Kingaroy Airport). From July 6, Kelly will be operating her beauty, waxing and make-up business from the Blue Cottage in the The Artists Cottage grounds. Contact phone number (07) 4162-8336 and email remain the same.

Latest Touring Guide Released June 24, 2009 - The latest version of Tourism Queensland's popular South-East Queensland Country Guide, (right), has been released for 2009-2010. The guide features an excellent road map of south-east Queensland in the inside cover as well as short guides to South Burnett towns and attractions and advertising from local accommodation providers. Copies will be available soon from Visitor Information Centres throughout the region. NB. The Kingaroy Peanut Festival is on September 12 ... not in August as stated in the Guide. The contact phone number is also incorrect.

The Rock Opens At Goomeri June 23, 2009 - Central Queensland building society The Rock has opened a second building society branch in the South Burnett, this time at Goomeri. Graham and Diane Little have opened the mini-branch and ATM at Goomeri News and were a major sponsor of the recent Goomeri Pumpkin Festival. Earlier this year, The Rock opened an agency at the Nanango Newsagency at 64 Drayton Street, Nanango, and became a sponsor of the Nanango Show. The new outlets are part of an aggressive expansion plan by the Rockhampton-based building society, which has opened eight new agencies over eight weeks to extend its network to 31 locations.

Last Update From WBBACC June 22, 2009 - The very last edition of the Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee's (WBBACC) popular email newsletter Regional Update has hit in-boxes across the region today. The newsletter was launched by Cameron Bisley in February 2006 to provide all the latest information on events, activities and grant opportunities distributed by the Federal Government. It was also published in full on the WBBACC website. The Federal Government has decided to close down the Area Consultative Committees network across Australia and replace it with a new body, Regional Development Australia (RDA). Applications close today for people interested in joining the new the new RDA committee, (see story June 9). To read the last edition of Regional Update, click here

Brisbane Tastes The Magic June 19, 2009 - Tastes from the South Burnett proved popular at the inaugural South Bank Regional Flavours festival, (above), held at South Bank in Brisbane last weekend. Reports indicate crowds were at times "four deep" as they purchased local produce and collected brochures and samples. South Burnett Regional Council Director of Governance John Kersnovski said Council had worked with the South Bank organisers for the past few months to ensure the South Burnett was strongly represented at the event. The success means Council is likely to support the venture again next year. Some of the local products on display in Brisbane

Multi-Million Dollar Boost For Local Schools June 18, 2009 - Local schools will benefit from millions of dollars of building work under Round 2 of the Federal Government's "Primary Schools for the 21st Century" program (part of the Economic Stimulus Plan) announced this week: Big winners are St Joseph's Catholic School, Murgon ($2 million to construct a library and multipurpose spaces) and St John's Lutheran Primary School, Kingaroy ($2 million for a multi-purpose hall). Other schools to receive assistance: Benarkin State School - $250,000 for a resource centre Cherbourg State School - $1,250,000 for a covered outside learning area and $750,000 for a resource centre Cloyna State School - $600,000 for a multipurpose hall and $250,000 for a resource centre Coolabunia State School - $850,000 for a library Cooyar State School - $250,000 for a covered outdoor learning area Durong State School - $250,000 for a resource centre Goombungee State School - $850,000 for a resource centre Gowrie State School - $1.2275 million for a multipurpose hall and $772,500 for a resource centre Meringandan State School - $1.25 million for a multipurpose hall and $750,000 for a resource centre Moffatdale State School - $250,000 for a library Wheatlands State School - $850,000 for a library Widgee State School - $250,000 for a library Woolooga State School - $250,000 for a resource centre Yarraman State School - $300,000 for a covered outside learning area and $550,000 for a multipurpose hall. This funding is in addition to grants announced recently for many local schools under Round 2 of the Federal Government's National School Pride program.

Budget ... What's In It For The South Burnett? June 17, 2009 - The State Government Budget released yesterday contains a few sweeteners in it for South Burnett residents despite all the economic doom and gloom: $7.93 million to begin construction of a replacement police station and watchhouse at Murgon (total cost $8.76m) $3.2 million to begin construction of a trade training centre at Kingaroy State High School (total cost $4.2m) $2.9 million to rehabilitate a section of the Wide Bay Highway at Kinbombi Creek (total cost $3.1m) $2.6 million to replace the Boyne River Bridge on the Proston-Boondooma Road (total cost $5.2m) $2 million to complete an Early Childhood Education facility in Nanango (total cost $2.3m) $3.6m to develop the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and the Boonah to Ipswich Trail Development of a Family Drop-In Clinic for new parents at Kingaroy Hospital; and Replacement of Woolooga electricity substation The $224.4 million budget for Tarong Energy covers the Kunioon coal project and maintaining operations at Tarong, Tarong North and Wivenhoe power stations. Highlights include: $64.5 million on coal mine development, $56.2 million for upgrades and overhauls including a major overhaul of Unit 4 at Tarong and a mini-overhaul at Tarong North, $9.4 million for the mine void ash disposal project; and $8.1 million for low nitrogen oxide burners at Tarong Power Station. Forestry plantations in the Kingaroy area may also benefit from the State Government's $6.8 million injection into hardwoods forestry. SCOOP: Swine flu closes local schools, see South Burnett Online

Dial-A-Cessna June 16, 2009 - A Queensland University of Technology research team has used Telstra's Next G mobile phone network to control an unmanned aircraft over Kingaroy. According to the QUT, the flight could be one of the first in the world to use a secure commercial mobile communications network to control a pilotless plane. "Mobile network technology could allow autonomous (unmanned aircraft) to fly further and to carry higher resolution camera equipment than those currently in use which are limited by line-of-sight communications systems," QUT researcher Dr Luis Mejias said. The research is being undertaken as part of the Smart Skies Project, a research collaboration between the QUT, the CSIRO ICT Centre and Boeing Research & Technology. QUT aviation researcher Prof Rodney Walker, (above right), said the Next G network had also been used to send collision avoidance commands to a Cessna plane and an unmanned helicopter flying in Kingaroy. UPDATE: July 17 - Prof Walker interviewed by the ABC