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Cougar Energy Raises $4.2m April 6, 2009 - The underground coal gasification (UCG) project at Kingaroy has moved a step closer with the announcement by Cougar Energy on Friday that it had received commitments for a $4.2 million capital injection. Melbourne Capital has arranged the placement of 70 million Cougar shares at 6 cents each (less the costs of the placement). Cougar has previously announced that it plans to construct a pilot UCG plant near Kingaroy later this year and has plans for a second UCG project in the Surat Basin. It hopes to eventually construct a 400MW power station near Kingaroy. NB. In another fightback against the recession, the new Harvey Norman store is opening in Kingaroy today and a new Target store will be opening in the Kingaroy Town Centre (the SupaIGA precinct) on April 30!

CTC Scoops 65% Of Job Placements April 3, 2009 - South Burnett-based CTC Employment Services is celebrating after being awarded an amazing 65 per cent of available regional positions in the Federal Government's new Jobs Services Australia contract announced yesterday. The remainder of positions in the Gympie Employment Service Area (ESA) have been awarded to a recently formed consortium, Employment Services Queensland (trading as One-Stop Employment), which consists of Career Employment Australia, Challenge Employment and Training, Skill Centred Queensland and the Cairns Regional Community Development & Employment ATSI Corporation. The controversial $4 billion Federal Government reform of employment services, which officially begins on July 1, has left other local employment service providers equally stunned. CHR Employment Services, JobFind Centres Australia and Mission Australia received no local placements under the new contract. The independent competitive tender was run by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Community Group Steps In To Save Peanut Festival! April 2, 2009 - There WILL be a Peanut Festival in 2009! A meeting of concerned South Burnett residents and industry representatives who met last night in Kingaroy has determined there is sufficient public interest for a Peanut Festival to go ahead this year. Key sponsorship was confirmed and a discussion held about what date would be most suitable. At this early stage, it appears the Festival will be reverting to a September date. Ideas discussed included a parade, the traditional Peanut Thresher pull and a Peanut Ball. All present agreed that it was important that a festival be held this year as it's 50 years since the first Kingaroy Peanut Festival was held in 1959 and it's also Queensland's 150th birthday. Other significant local peanut milestones in 2009 include the 85th birthday of PCA and the 40th birthday of The Peanut Van. A second meeting will be held next Wednesday (April 8) from 5:30pm at the South Burnett Enterprise Centre (in the IT Centre - Shed 1). All interested members of the public are invited to attend, especially representatives from service clubs.

Meeting Tonight To Gauge Interest In Staging a 2009 Peanut Festival April 1, 2009 - The decision announced by the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce & Industry last week that it could no longer afford to organise the Kingaroy Peanut Festival stunned many local residents who had been gearing up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event this year. Rob Patch, from The Peanut Van, said he had been contacted by many people who were keen to see something occur this year. To gauge public interest in the possibility of holding a 2009 Peanut Festival, Rob has called a meeting which will be held at the Kingaroy Hotel-Motel from 5:30pm this evening (Wednesday). Anyone interested in holding a Peanut Festival this year is invited to attend.

$100,000 Grant To BIEDO March 31, 2009 - The Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation (BIEDO) has received a $100,000 grant under Round 2 of the Federal Government's Small Business Advisory Services Program. The objective of the SBAS Program is to "maximise the growth potential, prosperity and sustainability of small businesses through enhanced access to information and advice on issues important to sustaining and/or growing small business in response to the current global financial crisis". BIEDO will use the grant to: Extend its current business services to new locations and business sectors Deliver its current programs and add new business services in detailed business diagnostic health checks, one-on-one higher level specialist advisory support; and Programs for indigenous entrepreneurs, greening of businesses, and developing marketing capacity and profile in the local-to-global marketplace.

Community Stage Has 'Serious Safety Issues' March 30, 2009 - The South Burnett Regional Council has admitted that the community stage, handed over to the local community at the 2008 Kingaroy Christmas Carnival, is unfit to use. "When Rio Tinto left the region in early 2008, the company was keen to leave the community with a legacy of their time in the South Burnett. After consulting with various groups the decision was made to purchase a mobile stage for use in community events," a media release from Council states. "Arrangements were made to purchase a second-hand stage in conjunction with South Burnett Events Corporation (SBEC)." Council had agreed to managed the hire, set up and maintenance of the much-needed stage. SBEC had planned to use it at the annual Wine and Food in the Park Festival in Kingaroy. However after the stage was handed over, Council was "disappointed to discover that the stage has some serious safety issues which need to be addressed before the stage can be made available for public use". SBBiz understands engineers who have inspected the stage believe it may not be able to be repaired. SBEC was forced to hire an external stage for the recent Wine and Food in the Park Festival at extra cost.

Hope Flowing From Kingaroy To Afghanistan's Orphans March 27, 2009 - The Artists Cottage, opposite Kingaroy Airport has adopted a special project to assist some of the world's poorest children living in Afghanistan. Originally owners Karla and Garry Eyre had planned to collect educational equipment for the Hope House Kindy which has been set up in the Afghan orphanage but they quickly discovered the cost of freight is prohibitive ($375 for 2kg!). So now they're sending donations to a not-for-profit Australian charity, Mahboba's Promise, to be passed on to the kindy. Karla said she had also decided to give all profits from her doll studio sales to the project and hoped to also set up an EBay store. "I will sell dolls and bears on there and give the profits to the kindy project. This will keep an ongoing flow of funds for the children," she said. "I have managed to raise over $1000 just from my shop sales to get the project started so I am very pleased." Keep up the good work, Karla!

Become ALERT About Food & Fire Safety March 26, 2009 - We all know we should be "alert" (and not alarmed!) but there's now a new website from Environmental Health Australia that can help readers become ALERT about food and fire safety. The South Burnett Regional Council has subscribed to the Awareness Learning and Educational Resource Tool (ALERT) for food safety. This provides on-screen quizzes to assist food handlers to develop the necessary skills to handle food in a hygienic way. At the end of the program participants can print out a completion form for their records. A free fire safety awareness training program is also available on the website. Click to visit: ALERT For Food ALERT For Fire Safety & Emergency Response

Fudgery To Close ... and Re-Open March 25, 2009 - The Old Distillery on the Booie Range will close on April 5 ... but don't despair, the range of fudge and pantry items will be still be available in the South Burnett. The fudgery will reopen on April 8 at the Kingaroy Cheese Cellar Door in William Street, Kingaroy. The cellardoor will continue to operate as usual but will have an expanded range of South Burnett products. The Old Distillery's Bronwyn Bisley said she hoped to also incorporate a coffee machine at the new site and open on Friday nights for wine and cheese nights. As there is no room at the new premises for The Old Distillery's giftware, Bronwyn is currently selling her range at discounted prices. UPDATE March 30: Bronwyn has unveiled the new name for her business ... Taste South Burnett. The Old Distillery's conference facilities are also moving and will be installed in The Old Butter Factory, also at 67 William Street.

KCCI Dumps Peanut Festival & Kingaroy Christmas Carnival March 24, 2009 - The Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced today that for financial reasons it could no longer organise the annual Kingaroy Peanut Festival or Christmas Carnival. "This potential outcome was discussed with the South Burnett Regional Council CEO (Tony Hayward) and Lifestyle and Culture Director (Eleanor Sharpe). The door is now wide open for community based groups to take the lead in organising the Kingaroy Peanut Festival," KCCI President Leanne Stallwood, (right), said. Read the full statement on the KCCI website

Two New Town Radio Stations Hit The Airwaves March 24, 2009 - The South Burnett has two new radio stations with the launch last Friday of Our Country Wondai (88FM) and Our Country Murgon (87.6FM). Owner Michael Monk said his aim was to make radio more relevant to the local area and each of his new stations would be branded as that town's local station. Coverage will be north to Goomeri, west to Byee and south to Wooroolin. Michael said KFM (96.3FM) Kingaroy and KFM (87.6FM) Nanango would move to the new Our Country branding within three weeks to be then followed by 88FM Gatton and 87.6FM Laidley. The Our Country stations are operated from Michael's studio at Wondai, an office in King Street, Kingaroy, and a portable facility in the Lockyer Valley.

UAVs Test Avoidance Strategies Near Kingaroy March 23, 2009 - Kingaroy Airport will be playing a major role next month in a series of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) tests being carried out by Boeing Research and Technology Australia and the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (a joint venture of Queensland University of Technology and CSIRO). The tests will involve a modified Cessna 172R and the CSIRO's unmanned helicopter which will automatically be kept from colliding by computer-based separation systems. They follow successful tests with a "virtual" aircraft and the unmanned helicopter near Kingaroy earlier this year. In this earlier test, computers in Seattle successfully averted a virtual "collision". More information, see Insciences. The tests are part of a project aimed at developing automatic separation systems to help integrate UAVs into busy airspace. On the Smart Skies website, watch a Simulated collision scenario over Kingaroy

Latest State Election Results: March 21, 2009 - Latest election results, courtesy of the ABC, indicate little has changed locally in the South Burnett with sitting members ahead in primary votes: Nanango - win to Dorothy Pratt (Independent) on ALP preferences. Callide - easy win to Jeff Seeney (LNP) Conceding defeat to the ALP in the overall State poll, LNP leader Lawrence Springborg has resigned as party leader.

Make Your Way To Murgon Tomorrow! March 20, 2009 -The main day of action at the annual Murgon Show will be on tomorrow from 6:30am at the Murgon Showground. This year's Show features horse and cattle events (including a Bazadaise Stud Cattle Feature), a huge dog show, musical entertainment, ute muster, line dancing and a rodeo from 6:00pm (with fireworks about 8:30pm). Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for pensioners, $6 for high school students (with ID cards) and $3 for primary school students. More details? Phone the Murgon Show Society on (07) 4168-1427. And don't forget to vote in the State Election tomorrow!

Tourism Amalgamation Still Being Assessed March 19, 2009 - Discussions whether to amalgamate the tourism regions of the Southern Downs and Granite Belt with the South Burnett are still progressing, according to a report in yesterday's Warwick Daily News. Mr Kim Henshaw, from the Southern Downs and Granite Belt Tourist Association (SDGBTA), told the Southern Downs Regional Council on Tuesday that the potential benefits of an amalgamation were being assessed by local tourism authorities and a "game plan" should be known within a month. "Discussions are underway now and providing nothing radical happens after this Saturday's State Government election, we should have an idea of how we market ourselves in the future soon," Mr Henshaw said. Mr Henshaw also said the SDGBTA would experiment with a digital advertising campaign this winter as traditional print media marketing campaigns were becoming increasingly expensive and "less relevant" to sectors of the market. "We know more people are researching and booking holidays through the internet so we are going to launch a predominately digital campaign this year," he said. Footnote: The "Autumn in the South Burnett" insert, (above), in the new South-East Country Club publication - which arrived late last week - could be a good argument for always checking the internet first before booking any holiday ... dates are wrong for the Nanango Show (should be April 3-4 not April 4-5), Burrandowan Races (should be May 9 not May 10) and the Nanango Races (should be May 23 not May 22).

Is The GFC Affecting Your Business? March 18, 2009 - The Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee is seeking any information (factual or anecdotal) about how the global financial crisis is impacting regional Australia. The WBBACC is preparing a regional response to the Federal House of Representatives' Standing Committee Inquiry which is reporting on the impact of the financial crisis on regional Australia. Submissions can be sent to Cameron Bisley by email or you phone him on (07) 4121-7099. More information, including how to make a direct submission to the inquiry, is available on the committee's website.

Do You Know The Names Of All Your Customers? March 17, 2009 - Do You Know The Names Of All Your Customers? Well, if the answer is no, then some of your customers are probably visitors to the area. This is the message that a tourism forum being held in Wondai today is hoping to spread. The Tourism Futures Forum has been organised by the South Burnett Tourism Association in conjunction with the South Burnett Regional Council. It will run from 9:00am to noon at the Wondai Memorial Hall. The forum invites local businesspeople to have an input into how the South Burnett tourism industry can grow and how the SBTA and SBRC can work with businesses to set the future direction of tourism in the South Burnett. For more information, phone Lynn Smith on (07) 4171-6803.

Test & Tag It @ TAFE March 16, 2009 - Kingaroy TAFE has organised a "test and tag" appliance safety testing course which could help South Burnett businesses save money ... and lives. Electrical teachers David Penny and Kris Holmes will conduct short courses in testing and inspection of electrical equipment, beginning next month. "The course is suited to those working in organisations that may be required to carry out in-service testing of their own electrical equipment to meet Occupational Health and Safety requirements," Mr Penny said. Entry is limited to employees and employers who are required to carry out testing and inspecting of electrical equipment in a workplace. Cost is $300 (GST exempt). Courses will be held from 8:00am to 6:00pm on April 8, August 12 and September 16. For more information contact SQIT on (07) 4160-4400.

Wine & Food in the Park On Tomorrow March 13, 2009 - The South Burnett's best-known wine and food event, Wine & Food in the Park is on tomorrow from 10:00am in Kingaroy's Memorial Park. The wine marquee is a massive 54m long and will house a dine-in restaurant as well as wine-tasting (and selling!) stalls. PCA is again sponsoring a South Burnett cook-off with displays by well-known Brisbane chef David Pugh (Restaurant Two) and foodie Peter Howard as well as local chefs Jason Ford (TAFE) and Brent Shorter (Kingaroy Hotel Motel). On stage, there'll be live entertainment from Doc Span, Paul Greene, The Blues Excuse, The Rain, Josh Arnold, Too Ezy and the Kingaroy SHS Stage Band. Entry is just $10 (under 18s free) and there is strictly no BYO.

Vote 1 for South Burnett Icons March 12, 2009 - Do you think the Goomeri Pumpkion Festival is a true Queensland icon? Then vote!! Not at the State Election next week, but on the Q150 website. Voting has opened to determine what's a Queensland icon (and what's not) for Queensland's 150th anniversary celebrations. Voters have until April 30 to choose from a shortlist of 300 finalists across 10 categories. South Burnett finalists are: Goomeri Pumpkin Festival (Events & Festivals category), Bunya Mountains (Natural Attractions), Eddie Gilbert (Sports Legends), Matthew Hayden (Sports Legends). Joh Bjelke-Petersen (State Shapers), and the Bunya Tree (Typically Queensland). They're all up against tough competition, so start voting!