CORNER

Poetry is an arrangement of language, artistic word pictures that attempt to inspire imagination, evoke emotion and provoke humour. Poets are illustrators of words that create beauty and intensity, and the HT is proud to give them a platform. Please note, published poems may be read/recorded for our social pages.

Obi Magic

Timing and patience I’m told is the key. So, I watch and wait so very patiently, While others try to trick my roving eyes. I’m not fooled, as I wave away the flies, Concentrating on swirls and ripples, Not turtles and fish faking it with bubbles.

There! Deep ripples across the creek! Excitement makes my knees go weak. As I prepare myself and my camera I hear the chuckling of a kookaburra, And think, perhaps it’s laughing at me. But no! How joyous to finally see…

My quarry right there in front, eye to eye. Click, click, click! Nonchalant and not shy, Happily posing for me before diving away. I’ll never forget the first time, a Monday, That I saw an ornithorhynchus anatinus, Maleny’s very own wonderful platypus!

© S Gillis

NATURE’S INVITATION

As the sun arises in the early morn, it jolts me from my trance, The call from Mother nature, an invitation to her dance.

The music of the outback. The silence. Dramatic pause, Entranced by its openness, devoid of ceiling or walls.

She calls me in with her elegance, and her undoubted charm, Her magnetic beauty, her energy and her peaceful calm.

The indigenous, the original ones, they know it all so well, Their symbiotic knowing of belonging, they feel with every cell.

The foundation. The beginning. Dreamtime as it's known, The ancestors. The ancient ones. Their wisdom seeds have grown.

With their spirit and their kinship, they lead the way and show us how, The way to live in unity, the water way. The Tao.

So with humble mind and open heart, her invitation I accept, To share her land, her teachings. With honour and respect.

Standing at the clearing, the sunset breathtakingly begins, The many birds, like angels, so majestically they sing.

I look out at the vastness, twinkling stars which fill the sky, So thankful for creation. No need to question why.

© Bill Tillott

Forum on Monday March 20 at the Maleny RSL, 9am to 11.30am. There will be a short film outlining financial and legal abuse of seniors and free morning tea.

There has been much publicity on domestic and family violence but less on how elders can suffer from physical, emotional and financial abuse.

Expert speakers, led by Julian Porter from the Sunshine Coast Community Legal Service, will also hold a Q&A session or you can speak privately to presenters. Phone 0419599042, if possible, for catering purposes. (Pictured: Committee member Barbara Jones of Speak UP Now at the Maleny Australia Day outreach, 2023)

The concert will be in St George's Anglican Church on the corner of Tallowwood Street and Walker Drive at 2pm on Sunday March 26, and the cost is just $20. Tickets can be sourced from MalenyAnglican.com.au/concerts, or phone Susan on 5494 3062.

Popular throughout Queensland as a concert guitarist, Paul is also a composer and writer. With a Bachelor of Music in performance, majoring in classical guitar, and a PhD in musicology, he is a casual lecturer at the University of Queensland and a regular reviewer for Limelight Magazine in Australia.

Paul is involved in research into ‘the intersections for guitar between popular music and the internet’.

His program in Maleny will include Federico Mompou Suite Compostelana, Victor Arregui Selections from Piezas Lyricas and Fernando Sor, selections of his Etudes

Maleny Eco Festival

Maleny is hosting a three-day festival showcasing creatives who work sustainably and naturally, by recycling, remaking, growing and any other practice that has an Eco theme.

Stallholders and exhibitors who are makers, artists, designers, cooks or growers incorporating a sustainable or ‘eco’ approach to their art, craft or business are involved.

This includes art and artisan products from waste or found items, food items grown from sustainable practices, art from recycled products, items that can be recycled when no longer in use and creative repurposing.

Sapwood Studio run by Amaya is just one of the stalls at the Maleny Eco Creative Festival, this celebration of waste to art - including specialty vintage that's still beautiful, collectible or incredibly fun!

Amaya makes stunning wraps, scarves, handbags, clutch purses and hats made from discarded fibre from local breeders or recycled cotton yarn.

health and wellbeing activities around the region, which are either $10 (or $5 with a Health Care/Pensioner card). Registered participants will receive email updates on information on classes and how to book.

Activities will be added over time. Ensure you are registered to keep up to date. For more information and to register, visit Council’s website and search ‘Healthy Sunshine Coast’.

view to getting more players on the courts.

The number of juniors has more than doubled and still growing with coach Jani Kroyherr inspiring the young players of the future. The court surfaces have been renovated, the nets have been upgraded and there’s a new practice ball machine, so conditions are ideal at the Club.

Two big ticket items are the return of Saturday afternoon tennis starting at 4pm (summer time) on Feb 18th. This is to encourage the working families to get more involved and enjoy the sport. Non members are welcome.

Also, court hire is now free for both members and non-members. A great initiative. Bookings are still essential. Visit tennis.com.au/maleny.

Buderim VIEW Club recently held their AGM which was presided over by Zone Councillor Vanda Cannock and a new committee was formed for 2023 (Pictured). This AGM and Lunch was the first club meeting of the year and a great opportunity for the ladies to catch up. The new Club President is Antoinette O’Connor and everyone involved wishes her well.

The next lunch meeting will be held on Wednesday March 1, 2023, 11am for 11.30am start at the Buderim Tavern. There is always an interesting guest speaker.

The Club raises money for The Smith Family charity and the Learning For Life program in all their activities. The Buderim VIEW Club currently supports 7 Learning for Life students.

Any ladies who are interested in coming along to one of their events or would like to join the club, should contact Gail Julian on email gai3@optusnet.com.au or phone Gail on 5476 7163 by the previous Saturday to the monthly meeting and lunch. You can also visit the website on view.org.au

Church welcomes classical guitarist

The first concert for 2023 in the St George’s-inthe Hills regular series will feature the celebrated Queensland classical guitarist Paul Ballam-Cross (pictured).

Other stalls booked at this time include Wayne Schultz Woodworker, Moondani Maleny, 828 Design, Doggy Eco, Frog in a Teacup, and Nic's Creations, and many more!

The festival is happening on March 31, 12pm-6pm (with the official launch - Shop and Sip - from 3pm); April 1 and 2, 9am-3pm. For more details visit Maleny Eco Creative Festival on Facebook.

Healthy Sunshine Coast

Want to improve the way you move, eat, sleep, think and connect with others? Then this low-cost health and wellbeing program is for you.

It’s time to run, jump, and groove into Sunshine Coast Council’s Healthy Sunshine Coast program, which has bounced back for 2023 with classes being held across the region.

The aim of the program is to encourage positive mental health and resilience, regular physical activity, healthy eating, strong social connections, and participation across all ages and abilities.

Community Portfolio Councillor David Law said the 2023 program had something for everyone, from GROOVE dance at Kenilworth, meditation and Forest Bathing at the Maroochy Botanical Gardens, over 50s fitness at Buderim and so much more.

Registration is free, but essential. Once signed up, local residents will be able to attend a range of low-cost

A meeting with Blackall Range clubs has suggested that more interaction, both social and competitive will be seen in the near future for juniors and adults, avoiding a lot of travel down the coast. So if you’ve been thinking just maybe, now’s the time by the sound of it.

Great Southern Land

The Buderim Male Choir is presenting a new show, called Great Southern Land, a showcase of Australian music from bush ballads to the likes of Peter Allen and the Seekers, covering the earliest days of the colony to today.

Our Great Southern Land concerts will be at Beerwah Community Hall, Saturday, March 11 at 2pm and Buderim War Memorial Hall, Saturday, March 18 at 2pm.

The choir would like to acknowledge the constant support of the Buderim Foundation, the Sunshine Coast Council, and the Queensland Community Gambling Fund.

Men, the choir needs a few more to give them a stronger voice! You’re sitting there saying, “But I can’t sing…” Perhaps you think your voice isn’t great when it’s just you, but when voices combine and support each other, it grows into a mighty sound. And it’ll get you out of the house one night a week plus performances. Rehearsals are at St Mark’s Church Hall, Buderim, every Monday from 7pm. Please visit buderimmalechoir.org.au for more information.

Vale

Doctor

Michael Leo Simpson – 1959 to 2023

Montville Citizen of the Year, 2007 and Montville Lifetime Citizen, 2022

When Michael graduated in medicine in 1991, he took up an internship at Nambour Hospital, wanting a country experience for his young family. He had already set his sights on becoming a GP in a village community.

The family, Michael, Kyleigh, Christina and Eleanor, were visiting Montville when the warmth and friendliness extended to them during a school open day convinced them that they had found the community they wanted to join.

In 1992, they purchased a small cottage on Western Avenue, enrolled their daughter, Christina at the Montville State School and welcomed their third child, son John, into the family.

It wasn’t until 1995 that Michael was able to secure a position in a local medical practice where he served as a Montville doctor for the next 27 years.

In the 1990s, Montville was still predominantly a rural community and Michael immersed himself in that community. He believed home visits were an essential part of village medical service and through these he quickly became familiar with the values and concerns of the community.

He joined two key village institutions, the Montville State School P&C Association and the Montville Village Association (MVA). Through these, Michael engaged in working tirelessly for the health and well-being of the community.

As Vice-President of the MVA, Michael devised and managed urgent restoration and maintenance work on the Montville Village Hall in 2005/6. During this work he realised that many of the community facilities based in and around the Village Green, Memorial Close and Carpenter Place, including the hall itself, were exposed and vulnerable to commercial development.

Working with an historian, Michael prepared a detailed submission nominating this precinct to be heritage listed and so protected. His nomination was successful and the precinct has become the centre of community activity again. In recognition of his community service, Michael was awarded

Montville Citizen of the Year on Australia Day, 2007.

Michael held a passionate interest in three leisuretime pursuits which he shared with the community: vintage cars; gardening; and music.

He helped establish and was a foundation member of the Blackall Range Horseless Carriage Club which began life on Western Avenue. The club has provided a static display of vintage and heritage cars at Australia Day Ceremonies for over 20 years.

With wife, Kyleigh, he created a heritage garden, ‘The Shambles’, on their small, once degraded block, winning awards, writing gardening books and promoting a successful Open Gardening Program which not only inspired gardeners but has raised over $100,000 for local charities and disaster victims.

However, it is his love of music that the community will miss the most.

With his extended family, Michael created the Simpson Brothers Band. The band has played at Montville’s Australia Day Ceremonies since the 1990s and for a number of themed dinner-dances over the years.

It has also played at the Hunchy Christmas Party for many years leading to Michael and Kyleigh being granted honorary Hunchy Citizenship.

An ultimate measure of the importance that Michael placed on music, however, is revealed in late 2021 at the height of COVID. Believing the community needed ‘cheering up’, the band set up in front of the Village Square on Main Street to render a rollicking concert to lift spirits.

More than anything else, this is Michael’s legacy –to care for, nurture and lift the spirits of the individual and the community.

In recognition of his service to and devotion for the Montville community, Michael, along with Kyleigh, was presented with the Montville Lifetime Citizen Award at the Australia Day Ceremony, 2022.

Doug Patterson Montville History Group

Help create a place of cherished nature and ecological wonder

It's time to have your say on the Sunshine Coast Ecological Park draft master plan. Council is proposing to restore former farming pasture in the hinterland to lush rainforest creating a place of cherished nature and ecological wonder for generations to discover and enjoy. Submissions open 6 March and close 20 March. Visit Council's website for more details.

Grow it local to win great prizes

Wonky backyard veggies and creatively named chooks, it’s your time in the sun, with entries open until 30 March for the annual Grow It Local Awards. Sunshine Coast growers in the backyard, school patch, kitchen windowsill or community garden have the chance to impress the nation and win a bumper crop of prizes. To enter and for more details, visit growitlocal.com.

Council traineeship opportunities

Calling all high school graduates and uni students! Are you looking to gain valuable skills, work experience and get paid? Apply by 12 March for a Sunshine Coast Council traineeship! Our trainees are paid to learn on-the-job for 12 months and complete a certificate qualification. Sound good? Visit Council's website to apply.

CUSTOMER CONTACT sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Contact-Council

'Everyone Belongs' on the Sunshine Coast

Celebrate our vibrant and diverse region with Harmony Week in 2023 beginning 20 March. The festivities will showcase a colourful array of food, dance, culture, sport and more! To see what's on, search ‘Harmony Week’ on Council’s website.

One for the calendar

Watch Council’s next Ordinary Meeting online or at Sunshine Coast City Hall Chambers – 23 March at 9am.

Mowing grass has never been greener

This is all thanks to Council’s new fleet of zero emission, 100 per cent electric ride-on mowers. The five new mowers are environmentally friendly and reduce noise pollution by 50 per cent. The fully electric mowers join Council's eco-friendly fleet of vehicles and plant tools, demonstrating Council’s sustainability commitment.

Is your business ready to scale up?

Enroll now in the “Scaling Up – a smarter way to do business” program to leverage your growth and expansion efforts, gain resources and support and drive business performance. Search ‘Scaling Up’ on Council's website. Program starts 10 March. Ride to school for your chance to win

Ride, scoot or skate to school on Friday 24 March for national Ride2School Day for your chance to win! Four lucky students will win bike shop vouchers valued at $500*. Register on Council’s website before 5pm on Friday 24 March. *Conditions apply.

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