SILVER JUBILEE CREATIVE CELEBRATIONS

KENILWORTH ARTSFEST & FAMILY FUN DAY

It’s the Silver Jubilee of Kenilworth ArtsFest! For 25 years Kenilworth Arts Council has been presenting an annual exhibition which has become an important date on the Sunshine Coast Arts calendar. This year, the Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce is joining in with a Family Fun Day – art, poetry, music, local stalls and lots of fun!

For some years, a key feature, the Kenilworth Painting Prize, was supported by the Sunshine Coast Council, due mainly to the efforts of Cr Joe Natoli and Cr Greg Rogerson. Since subsequent SC Councils ceased to sponsor this prize, it has been funded by Kenilworth Arts Council. This has meant many hours of fund raising activities. You no doubt have seen our Treasurer and her band of Mary Valley Rafflers giving their time to sell raffle tickets at the Information Centre every

Finding sponsors is always a tough call and now, even more so, in the present economic climate. KAC is very grateful to those who have given sponsorships and donations.

We especially thank those businesses and individual supporters in Kenilworth for their generosity. The Kenilworth Hotel has been very helpful with the poetry and music fun that is happening on Saturday 27 May. All supporters will be publically acknowledged at the art Exhibition and here in the MVV. We also thank Ray White Real Estate and Queensland Country Bank in Maleny for their sponsorships.

This year KAC and the Kenilworth and District Chamber of Commerce are presenting a Family Fun Day on Sunday 28 May at Kenilworth Showgrounds.

It is great to have the Chamber of Commerce on board. The Chamber will be organizing a range of stalls and entertainment including face painting by well known artist, Daisy. There will be free kites for children to decorate and fly. This is a wonderful example of local organizations co-operating, especially in a small town like ours, to produce good outcomes.

There will also be two “fun and nonsense” competitions to be judged at 12 noon. Yes, there are prizes!

“Get a Handle on This” is where both adults and kids can show their creativity by decorating anything with a handle, from a teacup to a carry bag!

Do you remember the old fashioned decorated bicycle competition? Here’s a new take on that idea. It’s to see how “Wheely, Wheely Well Decorated” any article with wheels can be – from a bicycle to lawn mower! The judges will have very

Bunya Avenue Update

On Tuesday May 9th a meeting was held at Isaac Moore Park, with Cr David Law and 25+ community members, to talk about the avenue of Bunya trees planted on the Eumundi-Kenilworth entry to town. The bunya avenue has been a controversial issue since their planting earlier this year. Several of these trees were recently vandalised by being cut off at the stem (see MVV April issue). The morning meeting's discussions ranged from civil to quite heated and back again. It was obvious that two sides were divided on this issue.

On one side, "wrong tree, wrong place"

On the other, "beautiful tree, right place."

Many community members felt strongly about the inadequate communty consultation, the risk of falling bunya cones and the debris of prickly branches that may litter the road as the trees grow. These concerns were raised by people in attendance and heard by Cr David Law and two parks and garden maintenance workers from the Sunshine Coast Council.

Lisa Delanoue spoke passionately about this being an opportunity for Kenilworth to talk about and practice reconciliation, with Indigenous people and with the natural environment. She said, "This issue has created lots of tension in our little community that could have been avoided if more consultation was had."

The bunya tree has been around for 200 million years. For thousands of years prior to European settlement, tribes from as far away as Victoria would travel to Queensland to celebrate the Bunya harvest, until gatherings were outlawed in 1897 (Barung Landcare).

Local Kabi Kabi elder Aunty Beverly Hand spoke, "This is about us. This is about reconciliation. Just imagine when these trees are 100 years old. People will travel from all over the world to see them. Then your descendants will be proud."

It was also said that bunya trees provide food and shelter for possums, native marsupials and birds. It was suggested that the vandalised (now dead) trees be replaced with different species, but the council representatives said they would not reward wrong behaviour. They will replant the bunyas although some members of the community are unhappy about this decision.

Other perspectives were present. Sally Mackay said, "The bunya has deep cultural significance, it is a story tree, it is a food tree. They are the reason we moved to this area. I love them."

Jason McDowall, arborist Sunshine Coast Council said, "There is a possible solution to make a formal pedestrian path for safety. There is the opportunity for people to connect with these trees in a public space."

Cr David Law stated, "I will do everything I can to create better footpaths for you."

If you have comment on this issue, contact Cr David Law, david.law@ sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au or the Council customer service line, 5475 7272. ~ SW

Childers to Brisbane by Car – over North Coast roads

Published on page 6 of the Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser

February 15, 1924:-

What may be described as a “rattling” trip, punctuated by many thrilling experiences, is reported by a contributor to the “Isis Recorder”, when a party left Main Street, Childers, the objective of the trip being the metropolis. Very little is detailed of the journey until after having reached Gympie, and apparently traversing the EumundiKenilworth Road, then the humour of the trip appealed and is set forth in the following:-

Our map continued to be utterly useless, resulting in our negotiating a road made goanna salve to the exhaust she sprang to it instantly. We persevered with our enquiries and at a farm several miles further on a cup of milk and cake was forthcoming. The old man farmer didn’t seem to appreciate our cleaning up all the cake that was produced. We ascertained that we were seven miles from Kenilworth on the Eumundi Road. Lizzie, by this time was also famished, so we put a couple of buckets of water in the radiator and kicked off again, getting the crank handle pretty near red hot. Kenilworth contains a fine looking school and the farms seem to be well improved. There was however no sign of an eating house. (The little snack at the farm had just tickled our palates). Not a bad place to be out of, so we acted accordingly at the rate of 25 miles per hour – Lizzie’s best

Historic note:- In February,1924 - the fine looking school referred to would be the original Kenilworth school at Gheerulla as the Kenilworth Township Provisional School did not begin taking students until October 1924.

Learn more of the history of the district at Kenilworth Museum any Sunday, 7/9 Alexandra st from 10 a.m. ~ Lenore Meldrum, President Kenilworth & District Historical Assn Inc.

Image Below: Similar vehicle as that driven from Childers to Brisbane in 1924.

Tuesdays Kungfu 4.30-6.00

Thursday Qigong 5.00-5.45

Private studio in Gheerulla. For further details Eamon 0414 366 604.

This April 42mm. Last April 41mm 22 year average for April 73mm. Rain fell on 11 days, April average 12 days.

Total rain for first four months of the year 205mm, Previous driest start to the year 2005 with 315mm, Same period last year, 1507mm, January - April average, 616mm 12 month total (till end April) 1254mm, 21 year annual average 1261mm

As you go up Philip Street, you can’t fail to miss the bright red bench on the verandah of St Luke’s Anglican Church. Do you know the significance of “The Red Bench”?

It’s a widely used symbol to show awareness of domestic violence. It also indicates support for its victims and working towards eliminating this dreadful condition from our society.

Both St Luke’s and St John Bosco’s communities laid wreaths at the ANZAC Day service on 25 April. St Luke’s Anglican Church is a War Memorial Church.

Services are held at St Luke’s on Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm. Services at St John Bosco’s are as per their notice board. ~ Cheerio from the Churches!

Kenilworth Arts Council

The information session and morning tea at Kenilworth Library on Friday 6 May was a very enjoyable morning (pictured below). KAC President gave a short talk on how the Library has five original art works on the walls and also a little of the history of the Kenilworth Library. As usual, the KADS sang beautifully with delightful songs. We thank Sunshine Coast Council for the tasty morning tea. Special thanks to librarian, Ian and to Kathy for their help.

We are now in the last weeks of preparation for the 25th Kenilworth ArtsFest. We are always seeking helpers for the various tasks. You don’t have to be a KAC member. Any help is very much appreciated. If you are interested, please contact us on kac@ kenilwortharts.org.au

The AGM of KAC is on Thursday 22 June at 6pm at KAC. Formalities will be brief. There will be light refreshments and possibly some entertainment. Our Secretary who has done a great job is not standing again so we are looking for someone with the necessary IT skills to fill this position.

Bookings are still open for the Chinese Brushstrokes Workshop on 17/18 June with master teacher, Stephen Cassetarri.

~ Cheers from KAC

Come and visit Eva, Catchment Officer for the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee (MRCCC)

17th May

21st June

19th July

2nd, 16th August

Contact Eva to make an appointment or just drop by.

Phone: 07 5482 4766

Mobile: 0408 749 162

Email: eva.ford@mrccc.org.au

NEW TEACHER AT KENILWORTH SCC.

It was 2022 when my daughters and I made the decision to move back to the Sunshine Coast. Anyone who has moved their family between regions is aware of what a major transition this is. There is more to consider than the just the physical relocation of your belongings and loved ones. We were moving from the small rural community of Wondai, which we had called home for the past 7 years. While there, we very much became a part of the local neighbourhood and loved the intimacy that comes with being part of a tight-knit community. The same sentiments were felt towards the school community that I was a part of. Also a small school, the staff and students at Wheatlands State School had become a family to us. Leaving such an idyllic position was only considered due to the community that we were planning to move to – Kenilworth!

I love the fact that Kenilworth State Community College is a small school which fosters strong relationships between the staff and families who constitute our school community. I have been made to feel very welcome and at home in such a short amount of time. I value the strong sense of community that is present in our town, evident at the many events held throughout the year to support local interests and businesses. To top it all off, we have been incredibly blessed to be able to situate ourselves right in the heart of this gorgeous hinterland hideout –just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Coast life. There is something very special about being able to contribute to your local society, to live, work and integrate into a small community like Kenilworth. We plan to be a part of this community for quite some time and see this as an investment in not only our own futures, but the future of our school and over time, the wider community.

Kac Diary Dates

Drinking Water