Arts Alive and well

THE much-anticipated Arts Alive Maleny is set to transform the streets into an enchanting artistic wonderland, captivating locals and visitors alike this Friday (August 4).

Organised by the passionate and creative minds of the community, this event promises to be a celebration of art, culture, and imagination.

Attendees will be able to experience the fantasy world created along Maple Street, with an illuminated walk accompanied with dragonflies, lady beetles and larger than life lantern flowers.

“A highlight of the event is the grand display of handcrafted lanterns illuminating the gardens, coordinator Steve McLeish said.

“Teams of skilled artists have been working tirelessly to create these captivating lanterns, promising a delightful visual spectacle for visitors of all ages!”

Steve encourages attendees to dress as vibrant and as colourful as possible, to be part of the artistic canvas of Arts Alive Maleny.

A dynamic Arts Jam hosted by Joy Collective and James Frames will allow an interactive experience to inspire creativity and artistic expression.

Thrill seekers and performers can join in on daring performances to impressive juggling displays at the interactive circus let loose in a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere, as well as street theatre and flash mobs, occurring at random times of the night to keep attendees on their toes.

Arts Alive Maleny is also proud to showcase the exceptional talents of young artists, providing a platform for emerging creatives to shine. The event is being held from 5pm-11pm along Maple Street. All funds raised from ticket sales will go directly back into supporting the arts community and the artists. This event is proudly supported by Apex, Maleny Lions Club, Maleny Chamber of Commerce, Cr Winston Johnston, Maleny Rotary, Amped, Ray White Maleny, Easton Lawyers,

Lit Live is an evening of imaginative stories and poetry produced and performed live by local authors at Maleny’s library and bookstores. Follow the entire Maleny Trail or drop in and out, and be transported to different times and places throughout the evening.

4pm – Maleny Library – readings by Peta Miller (historical fiction), R. Lennard (YA fantasy), Joanna Talberg (memoir), Karen Joy (new age)

5pm – PS Books – readings by Kevin Smith (poetry), Leigh Robshaw (memoir)

6pm – The Maleny Bookshop – readings by R. Lennard, Jodie Lang (fantasy), Mark McDonough (sci-fi), Cara Loconte (romance)

7pm – Rosetta Books – Brendan O’Shea – The Mindfulness Poet will cap the evening off with a half-hour performance full of enlightenment and laughter.

30 Maple St, Maleny 5435 2134 OPEN 7 DAYS

Big loss for small town

THE loss of our pharmacy in Montville is the last straw in a long saga of disappointments

We appreciate the plans to amalgamate with the Mapleton Pharmacy but …. This is a very predictable demise to what was a great service to residents of Montville and beyond.

The first disaster was the withdrawal by Ochre Health from servicing Montville. Many doctors who had worked there over many years chose to leave Ochre Health, setting up practise elsewhere.

The ‘Monash Model’, introduced many years ago disadvantaged Mapleton and Montville clinics assessing them the same as our large Regional town, Nambour. And a ruling that makes no sense at all has Maleny, bigger than both of them, as Rural, receiving more Government support for doctors fees. Many local doctors, Community organisations and patients had written submissions to Federal Gov. representatives over many years asking for a review. Our representative, Andrew Wallace’s response when his party was in power, was that it was a commercial decision made by Ochre Health … nothing to do with Govt. and nothing he could do.

It is good to see that Andrew Wallace, our LNP member is now leading a petition regarding the closure of our pharmacy but to me, this does seem somewhat disingenuous!

Is this just a political move to curry favour with his constituents demanding a response from the present Govt, that he was not prepared to champion when his party was in power?

I am encouraged that after so many years of ignoring this inequity by the Coalition Govt, the Albanese Govt has announced a review of the Monash Model. Maybe we will be able to restore the excellent medical facilities we were used to, and our Montville Pharmacy can re-open

Pam Maegdefrau Montville

I’ll drink to this

ABOUT 3 weeks go my wife and

I were coming home from seeing our grandys in Townsville.

We came back on the inland road and our last stop was in Biloela.

We went out for tea at the Biloela pub and thought we would play some Keno, which we rarely do.

My wife went to the counter to order our meals and asked where we could do Keno.

The barmaid replied and told her there is no gambling at the pub anymore. They had decided to make it a more family friendly pub.

When my wife told me I said “What a ripper!”

Someone had the guts to stand up to the big gambling companies and say NO to any gambling.

It was so good listening to some live music and having conversation without the pinging coming from the gambling room.

This was on a Thursday evening and the pub was packed with people of all ages plus lots of tradies in their high vis standing at the bar talking to each other and not on their phones. I say good on you Billo pub.

Alf Kwarcianyi Cedarton

Halls Creek debacle

REGARDING the proposed Halls Creek development I completely support the Sunshine Coast Council’s opposition to what will be a blight on our region for decades to come if approved.

The issues - which has been around for 15 years - poses questions including: Who is pushing for this and why?

The combination of a housing and cost of living crisis has turned a poorly conceived and unpopular development proposal into a guiltridden ‘oh, you don’t care’ issue by those advocating for it. The reality is that Halls Creek, if it was to proceed, would never be delivered in time to make a dent in the housing crisis.

I don’t know if you have ever seen an aerial view of places like Aura / Harmony - I call it “managed army base lifestyle-like living”. It offers people the chance to say they live on the Sunshine Coast but in my opinion it devalues the actual true meaning of it.

People are drawn here because it’s not suburbia - but that’s exactly what Aura has become. Small blocks, same-same housing and two cars out the front. It’s gross. We have to look at the bigger picture and not just take a view of “well it potentially satisfies an immediate need”, when it actually creates a longer term hidden loss - in that you can never get it back again once you have developed it.

You actually end up chipping away at the very environment that drew you up here in the first place. Then one day we wake up and realise that we have lost it over time because of the then expedient and problem solving decisions we made and felt was best.

It’s short-sighted and only thinking of now and not our children and their children and what we want to leave them for their futures.

We have the East Beerwah Development already approved which is actually very similar in size to the proposed Halls Creek development.

Let’s hope the federal and state governments have their heads on straight when ruling on Stockland’s Halls Creek.

MF Glass House Mountains Hens deserve good life

I SUPPORT the sentiments expressed by Jan Tendle in her letter to the GCM News on July 11.

All the Woodland housed chickens will have to experience

with Winston Johnston

New sketches revealed for Maleny

Thank you to those who turned up to the community forum on Thursday 20 July to see the latest designs for a new look streetscape for Maleny. The forum was well received and is now ready for further feedback to shape the next chapter of Maple Street. The concept design ensures the main street is a greener, safer place that brings our community together.

I encourage our residents, visitors, traders and community groups to take a look at the proposed plan and sketches before letting us know if these improvements can become a foundation for our community.

An online survey will be open until August 20, 2023. Please visit Sunshine Coast Council’s Have Your Say website to share your feedback.

New parking

I’m glad to see the completion of 50 new on-street, ninety degree, parking bays along Bicentenary Lane, Maleny. The project has been eagerly anticipated by residents and will go a long way in addressing parking and footpath needs. If you haven’t seen the upgrades, the new parking is on the south side of the street and extends the existing parking area. On the north-side of the street a new concrete pathway which is 1.8-metres wide has been completed which I think will be a welcome addition for residents. I hope our community enjoys the recent upgrades.