CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

Community

Kenilworth Hall and Showgrounds AGM

Monday 17th April 7pm Kenilworth Hall RSL Room

All invited

AGM Wednesday 13th April

7pm Kenilworth Hall RSL Room

We are looking for volunteers and extra stewards to make the 2023 Show and Rodeo another success All Welcome!

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 close 20 March. Visit Council's website for more details.

Invigorate your life

Have you registered for Council’s low-cost Healthy Sunshine Coast program? The 2023 program has kicked off and includes meditation, family yoga, Zumba, Tai Chi and so much more. For more information and to register, visit Council’s website and search ‘Healthy Sunshine Coast’.

Customer Contact

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

Ride to school for a chance to win

Ride, scoot or skate to school on 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 24 March. *Conditions apply.

One for the calendar

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

Everyone Belongs

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, visit Council’s website.

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. For more details, visit growitlocal.com.

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TED O'BRIEN MP

My biggest survey: Do you have big ideas about how to can make our local community an even better place in which to live, work and play? I want to hear your views and I’ve launched the Biggest Survey to find out. It’s an honour representing you in Parliament and with your help we’ve secured some big wins. But, for me to continue fighting to deliver the outcomes our community needs, I need to know what’s important to you. Head to www.tedobrien.com.au to complete the survey by 31 March.

Electricity bills: Are your electricity bills going up? The increasing cost of living is stretching household and business budgets and is forcing many people to make difficult spending decisions. The cost of electricity is at the centre of this with treasury forecasting a rise in electricity costs of more than 56 percent. Households and businesses are hurting and desperately need relief and this is a top priority for me. I am seeking local examples of rising energy bills to help document and understand the ongoing impacts of the skyrocketing cost of living. Please let me know by emailing ted.obrien.mp@aph.gov.au.

CR DAVID LAW, DIVISION 10 COUNCILLOR, SUNSHINE COAST COUNCIL

Iam happy to advise that works to upgrade the existing amenity block at Pioneer Park in Gheerulla has now been completed and is opened to the public. The works involved upgrading the current composting toilets to flushing toilets.

HARMONY WEEK: Sunshine Coast residents and visitors will be able to take part in a wonderful array of free events, including workshops, concerts, food adventures, sport and art experiences, held by local community organisations during Harmony Week (2026 March). I would like to invite everyone to experience, explore and appreciate the Sunshine Coast’s wealth of cultural, faith, linguistic and ethnic diversity this Harmony Week. Council has partnered with the Nambour Community Centre and the Sunshine Coast Multicultural Network to support a number of cultural groups and community organisations to host activities and events. I encourage everyone to come along and celebrate our diverse region. Visit Council’s website and search ‘Harmony Week’ for more information and to see a full list of events. Don’t forget if you have any questions please contact me at email: david.law@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and follow my Facebook page for regular updates: @DavidLawDivision10.

CR WINSTON JOHNSTON DIVISION 5 – SUNSHINE COAST COUNCIL

Free building design workshops: Are you renovating, buying, or building a home on the Sunshine Coast? Join Sarah Chalkley, from Sunshine Coast Council’s Design and Architecture team, to discover important house design tips. There are 7 sessions available at Sunshine Coast Libraries across our region in March. To book visit Sunshine Coast Council’s library website and search ‘Cool Homes’.

Mind Fit: Register now to take part in Council’s health and wellbeing program –Healthy Sunshine Coast. Once signed up, residents will be able to attend a range of lowcost, weekly activities around the region. It is all about creating a happier, healthier, more connected, and resilient Sunshine Coast community. Be sure to join the MIND FIT sessions in Maleny for a fun class for everyone, that grows a healthier mind and cognitive skills. Visit Council’s website for more information and to find classes near you.

Keeping you connected: keep an eye on my Facebook page for the latest Division 5 news and information. Visit www.facebook.com/winstonjohnstondivision5scc

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING GHEERULLA HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION INC.

You are invited to attend our AGM Thursday 25th March 2023 at 3pm Gheerulla Hall

Enquiries - Kathleen Mullins - email greasykate@hotmail com

Come along, all welcome. Refreshments afterwards

Earthen Roots Collective is a blossoming artisan boutique located at The Pavilion in Eumundi founded by 3 local artisans, Hali from Kokedama Mama, Joanna from Creators of Bliss and Sammy from Ciganka Artforms from Nature.

The boutique has been curated for local artisans as an outlet to showcase their unique and authentic handmade artistic works for local community, offering a memorable experience that is sure captivate you. The focus on earth centric products created using sustainable practices with minimal environmental footprints is a common thread among all their artisans.

Earthen Roots Collective intends on also supporting workshops in a diverse range of arts and crafts, original live music and spoken word events. Expressions of interest are welcomed from local creatives who would like to bring events in arts/crafts and culture to The Pavilion hub in Eumundi. Every Sunday local Artist Edwina Masson holds the ‘Live Loops choir’. You have to hear them to believe it!

Find the them on Instagram, the current display of local Artisans include:

Hali @kokedama.mama1

Jo @creatorofbliss

Sammy and Seb @ciganka_artforms_from_nature

Mel @Nartural_Creations

Frederique @Vira_ilou

Cat Green and Heidi Merika @everyday.empowered

Lorraine @hazel.el.wren

Gemma @oleariabotanics

Gheerulla Hall Stalwarts In Fine Fettle

Must say they’re a staunch lot of folk out at Gheerulla Hall and Tennis Club. Thirteen well-honed stalwarts turned recently for a working bee on the grounds and inside ready for all the events of the year. Mowers, whipper snippers, mops, brooms, gurneys galore were out in force. Must say the place looks absolutely spiffing. So good, in fact, we may have to think of hiring out our team. Any takers?

(Garden Club, exercises, dancing, craft, the Art Fair, Groove, tennis, weddings, etc.)

Our regular events include the growing in popularity Garden Club on the first Monday of every month. This March we all became very knowledgeable about soils, thanks to a great talk by Paul, who will teach us more later in the year. Permaculturalist and seed saver Zela is lined up to speak in April. Other regular events include Irene's Keep Fit and Dancing sessions on Wednesday and Thursdays, Suzanne's Groove Fitness on Tuesdays, and the Tennis Club (home of the famous Gheerulla Gems) activities playing both social tennis on Tuesday evenings and fixtures on Fridays. A veritable one-stop-shop for all your activities. The Hall itself is available for hire for weddings, parties, and almost anything.

For anyone who wants to join this outstanding crew, our AGM is Saturday 25 March at 3.00 pm. Followed by the obligatory cup of tea and cake. All welcome.

Kenilworth Market Gives Back To The Community

Part of the objective for the local market is to give back to the local community. The market is a registered not-forprofit association and once overheads and operating expenses are met then the members and committee meet and work out donations.

Spokesperson, Secretary Cheryl Boyte said, “We were delighted to make an $800 donation to the Kenilworth branch of the SES recently and pictured is the market committee doing a handover. Accepting the donation are Katrina and Chloe for the local SES.”

The SES are also a volunteer-based organisation and would love to speak with you about joining. Don’t worry, you will receive comprehensive training to ensure you have the skills and knowledge you need to do the work safely and effectively. Most of us here in Kenilworth have good reason to thank these people for their help in times of crisis. They really are, as they put it, “ordinary people doing extraordinary things”

To discuss joining you can register your interest online or contact your local SES in Kenilworth.

Kenilworth markets committee want to thank you too. You have visited this market and encouraged our local small businesses. To the stallholders who have contributed stall fees to keep the market running and to be able to give back, you are all wonderful. To the committee members, past and present who have put hours of voluntary work in – thank you.

Kandanga Pool Development Camp

Kandanga & District Swimming Club recently held their third annual development camp at Cotton Tree Caravan Park. We are so grateful to have received grants from RACQ Gympie and the Cooroy Rag to help subsidise this important part of our Club’s season. We had 62 people attend the camp which is a great opportunity for our families to gather together to participate in a range of activities that aren’t available in Kandanga.

The camp challenges and supports our swimmers in new ways. Formal activities include beach games, a training session in the Cotton Tree ’50 metre’ pool, a fun run to Alexandra Headland and culminates in an ocean swim from Mooloolaba Spit to Mooloolaba Main Beach. Many challenges are overcome and it was wonderful to see children and parents, from ages 6 to 60, jump into the ocean and swim their way to shore.

This great experience would not be possible without our awesome families who volunteer their free time to support their kids. Our Club has become a great starting point for many friendships and is quite a social hub in our small community.

New members are always welcome, and as our Club’s 43rd season soon ends, we look forward to many more years of fitness and fun. Contact 0468494029 for more information.