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Business Opportunity To Speak To Government September 9, 2008 - Small businesses in the South Burnett region have been invited to attend a networking event in Kingaroy next week with members of the Queensland Small Business Advisory Council. The Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry is hosting the free meeting at the Kingaroy RSL Club from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursday September 18. It will provide an opportunity to raise business issues with the Advisory Council members and to network with other local small business operators. Light refreshments will be served. The Queensland Small Business Advisory Council provides a grassroots link between small business and the State Government. To RSVP, contact the Maryborough Regional Centre on (07) 4121-1780 or by email

Big Day Planned in Blackbutt September 8, 2008 - Blackbutt will be celebrating 120 years of European settlement with a heritage day at the Blackbutt Showground on Saturday October 4. The Blackbutt Day celebrations will include a a parade, live entertainment, stalls, displays, historical machinery, wood chopping and re-enactments by the Blackpowder group. Events will kick off at 10am. Entries from the the Blackbutt Day Photographic Competition will also be on display. Local photographers are invited to enter this competition, which has good prize money on offer. Entry forms are available at all South Burnett art galleries or contact Blackbutt Day secretary Zinnia McDade on (07) 4170-0952 or by email.

Keith Scopes Out Advertising Promotions September 5, 2008 - Former local radio announcer Keith Gray is putting his media experience to great use by launching a new business called Promoscope in Kingaroy. The advertising consultancy will specialise in creating targeted advertising campaigns for clients as well as improving yields in existing campaigns and devising alternate promotional methods to generate sales. Keith can be contacted on (07) 4163-6860, on mobile 0411-166-850 or by email.

There's Safety 'n Numbers! September 4, 2008 - South Burnett businesswoman and trained nurse Liz Nicholson has opened a new mobile business servicing the local region offering first aid training and first aid supplies. Safety 'n Numbers offers courses in CPR and Senior First Aid on-site with nationally recognised qualifications. You can either join a course or organise a group booking. For more information, contact Liz on 0439-615-742, by email or drop into the Gone Bonkers discount variety store at 74 Lamb Street, Murgon (which Liz also operates alongside husband Sean).

From Smoked Ham to Ham and Pineapple September 3, 2008 - Private equity group Anchorage Capital Partners is in the process of purchasing Hans Continental Smallgoods, owners of Kingaroy-based Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory and Sun Pork Foods. The closing date of the share transfer from Japan Tobacco is scheduled for September 9. Hans Smallgoods became part of Japan Tobacco when that company took over Asahi Kasei Corporation in 1999. Japan Tobacco is Japan's largest cigarette manufacturing company and is partially owned by the Japanese Government. It has now decided that Hans Continental does not fit in with its existing businesses. Sydney-based Anchorage Capital is also the major shareholder in Golden Circle Ltd.

Future Energy Forum in Kingaroy September 2, 2008 - The Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation (BIEDO) will be hosting a two-day Future Energy Forum in Kingaroy later this month. Sponsored by Tarong Energy, the Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee and the Burnett Mary Regional Group, the forum will cover topics such as biofuels, energy audits and the urgency of "peak oil". There will also be workshops on solar power rebates, gas-powered vehicles, small-scale methane production, biogas and sustainable housing. The Forum will commence on Wednesday September 24 with a dinner at Kingaroy Town Hall from 6:30pm. Guest speakers will be Sunshine Coast Regional Council Mayor Bob Abbott and Bill Hauritz who will present a light-hearted view of climate change. The following day the Forum will shift location to the Kingaroy TAFE and will run from 8:30am to 4:30pm with guest speakers, trade displays, field demonstrations, workshops, lunch and entertainment. Cost for the dinner is $25 per person and registration for the main forum day is $105. For more information, phone BIEDO on (07) 4169-7851.

Monitors Measure Carbon In Power Station Fly Ash September 1, 2008 - Tarong Energy has purchased three Scantech Carbon in Fly Ash Monitors after a successful trial at Tarong Power Station. The monitors are part of a bid to more accurately monitor emissions of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Unburnt carbon in fly ash is carbon which has not been released as carbon dioxide. When a carbon trading scheme is introduced, the precise calculation of emissions will be important financially to the power station. The new monitors allow the carbon value in the flyash to be measured and a more accurate calculation of carbon dioxide emissions be made. A technical paper on the CIFA350 monitor, (right), written jointly by Tarong Energy and Scantech, will be presented at the Australian Coal Preparation conference in Sydney next month.

Kingaroy Boosts Pulse's Bottom Line August 29, 2008 - KPH Private Hospital (formerly known as South Burnett Community Private Hospital) has contributed $545,787 in revenue and $91,552 in earnings (before interest and tax) to Pulse Health Ltd. Pulse acquired the Kingaroy-based hospital on April 7 this year so these figures cover only from this date until June 30. In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange released today, Pulse Health reported its operating revenue grew from $19,196 to $12,198,094 during the financial year (an increase of 63,545%), mainly due to its acquisitions over the period. KPH Private Hospital currently performs more than 700 operations a year and is licensed for 28 in-patients and four day patients. It has 12 medical beds, 12 surgical beds, one high-dependency bed and three palliative care beds. Download the full Results Report here (314kb PDF)

The UAVs Are Coming! August 28, 2008 - Kingaroy is the place to be ... this is the message from UAV enthusiasts from around the world who are on their way to the South Burnett to compete in the second annual UAV Outback Challenge competition which will be held next month. Queensland Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle said the Challenge, which will be held at Kingaroy Airport from September 23-25, was a great drawcard for the State. "This year's Challenge is bigger and better than last year with 36 teams competing from Australia as well as the United States, India, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey," Ms Boyle said this week. University and high school students as well as professional UAV enthusiasts will be competing for a total of $70,000 in prize money: $50,000 – winning team (open category) $10,000 – winning team (high school category) $8000 – winner documentary challenge (open category) $2000 – winner documentary challenge (high school category)

Final Map of Nanango Released August 27, 2008 - The Queensland Electoral Commission has released the final State electoral boundaries after reviewing comments from the public after the release in May of its interim review of boundaries. Readjustments were made to 22 of Queensland's 89 electorates, including the seat of Nanango currently held by Independent MP Dorothy Pratt. The border between Nanango and the new seat of Condamine has been tweaked to ensure that a couple of towns that had been split will now be put into the electorates as whole bodies. Download the final Nanango electoral boundary map (1.7MB PDF)

Spring Into Art and Craft at Kingaroy Gallery August 26, 2008 - Mark your diaries now ... the Kingaroy Information Arts and Heritage Precinct will be holding a Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts on Saturday, September 27! There'll be fun two-hour craft classes for just $10. Learn how to make a concertina book, a pottery magic pot or moulded bowl, a rag rug, cards or scrapbooking. Watch craftspeople demonstrate their skills and artists at their easels. There'll be displays of folk art, knitting, paper making, wood turning, block printing, glass beading and lots, lots more. To enrol or pick up a program, visit the Kingaroy Art Gallery, opposite the peanut silos, in Haly Street , Kingaroy from 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday-Friday or 10:00am-4:00pm on weekends.

Meet'n'Greet On Tonight! August 25, 2008 - The Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be holding its regular Meet'n'Greet tonight from 5:30pm at the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE (SQIT), corner of the Bunya Highway and Geritz Road, Kingaroy. There'll be presentations by Robert McIntosh (SQIT) and Jenny Gemmell, Relate Human Services. Cost is $10 for KCCI members and $13 for non-members. Drinks and nibbles will be provided. For more information contact Polly Birchall on (07) 4162-8466.

Free Information About Child Support Services August 22, 2008 - Separated parents can learn more about child support, what services are available and have a personal discussion with experienced staff at the Child Support Agency's free Community Information Session which will be held next Tuesday (August 26) at Cherbourg. Representatives from Centrelink, Family Relationships Australia and other local community service providers will also be in attendance. The Community Information Session will be held from 11:00am at the Cherbourg Community Hall, Barambah Avenue, and will be followed by a barbecue lunch for those in attendance. Parents who cannot attend the session can find out more information about the Child Support Scheme on the CSA website.

Roar Against Depression August 21, 2008 - Durong businessman Martin Stern, from Print & Beyond, is organising the World's Longest Football Match as part of a bid to raise money for depression advocacy group BeyondBlue. The record attempt will be held on the weekend of October 26 in Brisbane. The Orange Army (the Queensland Roar Football Club's Supporters Club) will be lending a hand but Martin is seeking assistance from anyone who can either provide sponsorship or help on the day by playing, refereeing etc. For more information, contact Martin on (07) 4168-0273 or visit the website

Fundraising And All That Jazz August 20, 2008 - Kumbia Kindergarten will be jazzing it up at its biggest ever fundraising event, Jazz On The Lawn, which will be held from 11:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday August 31 at Cardowan Homestead near Kumbia. The Windy City Jazz Band will provide entertainment and there'll also be wine and food available. Organiser Louise Pace, from the kindy, said non-alcoholic drinks would be served free to the first 25 registered "designated drivers" and there would also be a chance to win great prizes. Cost is $15 for adults. Phone Clare on 0488-550-358 for more information or to book tickets. PS. Cardowan Homestead is at 1563 Ironpot Road ... and organisers say it will be well sign-posted.

Peanut Growers Head North For Conference August 19, 2008 - The annual Peanut Conference - which attracts peanut growers from all over Queensland - will be held in Bundaberg on August 26-27. Guest speakers include PCA Managing Director Bob Hansen, agronomist Peter Hatfield (Arachis Australia) and DPI&F speakers from Brisbane, Kingaroy, North Queensland, Toowoomba and Bundaberg. For more information, contact Dr Graeme Wright at PCA on (07) 4162-6311 or download a conference agenda

Tarong Graduate Earns Award August 15, 2008 - Former Tarong Energy employee Desmond Roche has won a Future Leaders Award at the inaugural Transport and Logistics Industry Development Awards at the Queensland Supply Chain and Logistics Conference held in Brisbane earlier this month. Desmond, who is now a commercial analyst with Powerlink, completed a 12-month Tarong Energy Graduate Program which is designed to attract talented young graduates to the power industry. After gaining a Bachelor of Business at QUT majoring in international business and marketing, Desmond worked as a procurement officer at Tarong while studying for a Level 3 Certificate in Procurement which provided credit towards a Masters Degree in Procurement.

Champion Cheese From Barambah Organics August 14, 2008 - Murgon's Barambah Organics has won the overall champion product award at the recent Dairy Industry Association of Australia (DIAA) Queensland awards. The company's Barambah Crows Ash Brie has been described in the Courier-Mail newspaper as a "rich, creamy brie with a white mould exterior and a coating of vineyard ash". It is named after the crows ash trees on the Campbell family's Spring Creek farm at Manyung near Murgon. The latest award follows success earlier this year in the DIAA's national Dairy Products Competition where Barambah Organics won silver medals for its natural set yoghurt and low-fat yoghurt, and its Blueberry and Mango flavoured yoghurts.

Lowes To Open New Store Tomorrow August 13, 2008 - The second of the new stores in the expanded Kingaroy Shoppingworld complex, Lowes, will be opening tomorrow. Lowes is at Shop 41-42 (at the top of the travelator) and stocks men's and boys' wear and school uniforms for both boys and girls. There is also a range of clothing for larger men (sizes 3XL-7XL). Manager Katrina Southey can be contacted on (07) 4162-1239. Lowes is an iconic Australian brand which has passed through several phases of ownership. The company was originally founded in 1898 by William Lowe and became a public company in 1948.

Opera Heads Back To Kilkivan August 12, 2008 - Kilkivan's Prophet Gold Mine will be hosting more of the extremely popular Underground Opera performances next month. Opera on Broadway, billed as a night of opera and Broadway hits, will be held at the mine on September 26 and 27. Tickets will go on sale at Kilkivan News on Thursday or phone (07) 5484-1148. For more information, visit the Underground Opera Company's website or download an information flyer (1.1MB PDF)