Spring into the new year with pilates New manager for Bendigo

LOCAL business owner and Pomona’s resident muralist is bringing local wildlife to life – again.

This Bird Florist & Creative Studio owner and artist Tia Carrigan is currently installing one of her creative murals at Pomona State School.

DOING more physical activity or exercise was the most popular New Year’s resolution for 2023, a new survey has found.

With that in mind, Studio Pilates Noosa owner Timea Pocze-Graf said now is the time to shake up the way people get their strength up.

“Our low-impact, high-intensity classes have been developed by a team of physiotherapists, making them suitable for everybody, no matter age or fitness ability. They are effective, addictive and totally transformative and will leave anyone looking and feeling fitter and stronger both inside and out after just six classes.”

Timea said their team are committed to helping clients achieve their goals, whatever they might look like.

“Whether they want to strengthen their core, improve their posture, incorporate some strength and resistance training into their workouts or simply try something new, our 40-minute classes tick all the boxes.

“Our highly skilled instructors are among the best in the biz and they’ll guide and support them through every workout while providing one-on-one guidance and support so they feel accomplished after every single class.”

Timea said they host different class times to fit with any schedule and lifestyle.

“But don’t take our word for it – experience the Studio Pilates difference with our exclusive introductory offer and get six classes for just $60.”

To redeem this offer or learn more, email noosa@ studiopilates.com or call 0413 927 880.

COOROY Community Bank has welcomed a new branch manager.

Steve Clarke, with a long career in banking spanning 20 years and four banking brands, recently joined the team at Bendigo Bank’s Cooroy branch.

Bringing an attitude of positivity and approaching his work days as play, Steve said that he is enjoying the culture within the Bendigo Bank community.

“My passion is to help community groups to achieve their goals and impacts and also to help improve the financial well-being of our community customers.”

With a large family of grown-up children and grandchildren, Steve said his highest priority is spending quality time with his village. Steve can be contacted at the Cooroy Bendigo Bank branch 07 5447 7131.

Tia said she is painting the mural on classroom walls for World Wildlife Day, an international day to celebrate all the world’s wild animals and plants and the contribution that they make to lives and the health of the planet.

“I am spending a week painting to bring to life the local flora and fauna just in time for World Wildlife Day on Friday 3 March.”

Through the art project, The Bees, The Birds and the Garden They Live In, Tia has also been mentoring young emerging artist and environmental lover Madeleine Cleland.

“Madeleine has worked with me on producing artwork and content for an educational resource booklet related to the mural subject matter.

“The booklet is a way to nurture a love for art and our natural world, both of which I am very passionate about. It will be available to the com- to provide it as a resource for all the local schools.”

Tia is also talking with the students, who are dropping by in their classes, while she paints the mural.

“Art has been so beneficial for me both as I was growing up and now. I’m hoping to be a role model for those artistically minded students, to show them that pursuing art is a great life skill to have and a viable career path.”

She will also be giving a talk about using art to educate at the Pomona & District Community House’s (PDCH) World Wildlife Day event. It’s going to be cool to be able to show what I’ve been doing to the broader community.”

Painting the mural be-

Tia said it is all thanks to a Regional Arts Development Fund grant – a partnership between the Queensland Government and Noosa Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland – that she gets to paint on the school walls.

“The project is a collaborative community project with involvement from the PDCH, the school, and local creatives.”

Tia’s other murals include the wall of Pomona IGA and This Bird building, both on Reserve Street.

Tia’s talk for PDCH’s Wildlife Day event on Saturday 4 March between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm will be held at The Lawson Shed, 1 Memorial