Bright year ahead for QCWA

Gabriella Field

2023 IS SHAPING up to be a cracker of a year for the Tin Can Bay Branch of the Queensland Country Women’s Association because we have already received requests for assistance from hospitals and other charitable organisations; we are very dedicated to our community and our input is substantial and ongoing.

We said goodbye to our 2022 Country of Study which was Australia and hello to the colourful dual-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago which is found in the South Caribbean Sea, just off the eastern tip of Venezuela.

During 2022 our Branch International Officers Mollie and Dawn were tasked with sharing information about Australia at our monthly meetings. We were regaled with stories about our nation’s history, they had us singing Australian songs, we heard bush poetry, and we found out more about all the things that make Australia so unique including our animals, bush foods, and our people.

Every year the QCWA runs competitions for Branch members focusing on the QCWA’s nominated country of study. Competitions range from various types of projects and scrap books to hard craft, soft craft, painted or creative international tea towels. Good luck to those entering any of the competitions.

A few of our members are planning to attend the International Country of Study Conference which is being held in Hervey Bay from 17 to 19 February 2023.

The 2022 Primary Product of the Year was the Pineapple, so last year we learned a lot about the precious pineapple. Did you know that the pineapple was once considered a symbol of wealth and power? In the 18th Century the pineapple would often be put on display in homes or carried under the arms of wealthy people, a single pineapple could cost thousands of pounds.

Many people actually rented pineapples, my how times have changed! We also shared lots of recipes with pineapple as the main ingredient, it is a very versatile fruit able to be used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

Our Primary Product for 2023 is the dragon fruit. Similar to the country of study, we will also learn about this fruit, its origins, how to use it in recipes and, like Trinidad and Tobago, dragon