WESTERN DOWNS
HALF YEARLY UPDATE MARCH 2018
WESTERN DOWNS
LIFT OFF Big Skies 2018
PIGGY WENT TO MARKET
Beef and pork — agriculture intensified
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BIG SKIES 2018 • AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS • PREMIER VISITS THE WESTERN DOWNS • MEET OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES TEAM • PROJECTS IN THE WORKS • COUNCIL AWARDS WDRC.QLD.GOV.AU
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FROM THE MAYOR What a year to be a Western Downs resident! With just over a month to go until the inaugural Big Skies 2018 festival kicks off, you can feel the excitement here on the Downs already. This Council’s aim of making the Western Downs the best Local Government region in Australia may seem like an ambitious one, but I think our region can earn the title, and I think we have the right team behind us to do it. We started 2018 with a bang, with a visit from none other than Queensland’s Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, demonstrating that what we’re doing out here in the Western Downs really is turning the right heads. Council has always been a very important part of the community,
and it’s our community that wants to see us deliver on the things that will keep improving the liveability in our towns. We have two roles as a Council — one is operational, the day-to-day services that we deliver, and the other is much ‘bigger picture’.
Our Council is passionate about building the highway to the future. We want a seat at that big table. We know how great our region is, and it’s time to share that. One thing I am passionate about is building strong relationships with our resources sector so we can negotiate good terms for our residents, and in 2018 we are going to continue the great progress we’ve made.
Our agricultural industry is facing some seasonal challenges at the moment, and that’s been a test for even some of our best producers. But it’s been remarkable to see the resilience and the capacity of this region to rise up to meet that challenge. The best of country living will also be on display this year at Jandowae Timbertown Festival in June and Miles Back to the Bush Festival in September, topping off what will be a great year for tourism on the Western Downs. So to all our residents, sit back and enjoy this copy of Love Western Downs Magazine, as we celebrate all our region has to offer. And here’s to a 2018 full of promise! Cr Paul McVeigh Mayor
Cr Paul McVeigh
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WHAT’S INSIDE
BEHIND THE DESK Five minutes with your Councillors Meet the Parks and Open Spaces team.
PAGE 4 BIG SKIES, BIG PLANS Seven days of big events
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HIT THE GAS Arrow invests big
HAYDEN QUINN DROPS IN Food and Fibre festival PAGE 8 SNAG A WINNER Celebrating local Aussies PAGE 10 THE NEW BOOM INDUSTRY Intensive ag heats up
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PAGE 17 WINNERS ARE GRINNERS Your Council shines PAGE 18 #LOVEWESTERNDOWNS Your best snapshots
PAGE 12 COLOUR OUR REGION Western Downs blooms PAGE 14 LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE Projects in your town
March issue 2
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ON THE COVER HISTORIC OUSE JIMBOUR H .com.au
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Our Councillors 01
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01 Cr Peter Saxelby (Spokesperson for Utilities) 02 Cr Andrew Smith (Spokesperson for Planning and Environment) 03 Cr Paul McVeigh (Mayor) 04 Cr Donna Ashurst (Spokesperson for Economic Development) 05 Cr Ray Brown (Spokesperson for Council Facilities) 06 Cr Carolyn Tillman (Spokesperson for Parks, Open Spaces and Cemeteries) 07 Cr Greg Olm (Spokesperson for Works and Technical Services) 08 Cr Kaye Maguire (Spokesperson for Community and Cultural Development) 09 Cr Ian Rasmussen (Spokesperson for Finance and Corporate Services)
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STAY CONNECTED Reporting an issue, asking a question, or just letting us know of a job well done? We’re always here to help – give us a call on 1300 COUNCIL
Find us on Facebook at Western Downs Regional Council Follow us on Instagram at @westerndownsrc Tweet us at @WesternDownsRC Connect with us Western Downs Regional Council
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BIG SKIES inaugural Big Skies festival Tandheshowcases the sights, tastes unique experiences that the
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Western Downs has to offer.
Big Skies celebrates the beauty of our big skies with our postcard worthy blues by day and endless blanket of stars by night. See what makes the Western Downs great from the ground up, recognising the rich and productive agriculture in our region and all that is locally grown and sewn.
DALBY PICNIC RACES Expect all the fun and frivolity of country racing at its best with the 106th annual running of the Dalby Picnic Races.
DALBY PICNIC RACES
High fashion and high stakes combine at one of the region’s signature calendar events. And a tip for the ladies — pastels, fringe and florals are trending on Spring/Summer ‘18 runways, and gingham is here to stay for another season. Photo: Fee Turner Photography
Saturday 28 April 1pm ‘til late Bunya Park Racecourse Visit dalbypicnicraces.org.au for ticket prices and packages
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DALBY SALEYARDS TOUR Wednesday 2 May 9am to 11am Dalby Regional Saleyards Free Event
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BIG SKIES LONG LUNCH Wednesday 2 May 2pm Location and Cost: TBA Bookings essential
BIG SKIES LONG LUNCH Take a seat at our table with friends and food lovers alike, and be treated to a sumptuous feast showcasing the best of our region’s produce. Enjoy the ultimate paddock-to-plate experience, talk with farmers and producers and learn about their passion for food production and the ‘eat local’ ethos.
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CINEMA UNDER THE STARS Wednesday 2 May 7pm Jimbour Station Free Event
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CAMP OVEN EXPERIENCE Thursday 3 May 5pm Camp Kitchen at Jimbour Station $25pp (Bookings essential)
05 CAMP OVEN EXPERIENCE Watch the camp kitchen come alive for an unforgettable night of great food and good ol’ fashioned country hospitality, like only we know how. Experience a succulent two course menu from the best seat in the house: watching the sun set over the magnificent Jimbour Plains.
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CINEMA UNDER THE STARS Thursday 3 May 7pm Jimbour Station Free Event
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2018 EVENTS 11 All the fun and action of Big Skies kicks off on Saturday 28 April 2018 and comes to a close on Sunday 6 May 2018.
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DAY ON THE PLAIN
CAMP OVEN EXPERIENCE Friday 4 May 5.30pm Camp Kitchen at Jimbour Station $25pp (Bookings essential)
It’s not every day you can let your hair down on the grounds of a grand, colonial mansion set amongst the iconic Jimbour Plains.
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Join thousands to rock out to a line-up of musical greats, right here in our backyard!
BIG NIGHT SKY GUIDED TOUR OF THE GALAXY Friday 4 May 7.30pm Jimbour Amphitheatre Free Event
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DAY ON THE PLAIN Saturday 5 May Doors Open 10am Jimbour Amphitheatre Tickets $79 (Bookings essential)
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HOT AIR BALLOON BREAKFAST Sunday 6 May 6am to 9am Jimbour Airstrip $25pp
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HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE Sunday 6 May 6am to 10am Jimbour Airstrip Cost: $350
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FOOD & FIBRE FESTIVAL Sunday 6 May 10am to 4pm Jimbour Amphitheatre Free Event
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CINEMA UNDER THE STARS Snuggle up and settle in for an evening of cinematic grandeur — and we’ve heard the movie is pretty good too. Sit back, relax, and see the Western Downs on the big screen with entries from the Smart Phone Short Film Festival, followed by an exclusive screening of a new release movie.
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THE LINEUP 01 02
Aussie rockers, international chart toppers and icons of a generation: six legends of the Australian music industry are set to bring the grounds of Jimbour Amphitheatre alive and rocking for the Big Skies 2018 Day on the Plain concert. This is one lineup you don’t want to miss. 01 Eurogliders The Eurogliders story begins in Perth in 1981, with a chance encounter between Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch. Within decades of forming, Eurogliders had recorded four albums, enjoyed a multitude of chart-topping singles and won a swag of awards from around the globe. Crowd favourite ‘Heaven’ soared to the top of the Billboard USA charts in 1984, and saw the band win numerous Countdown and MTV Awards.
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02 Glenn Shorrock
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With a career spanning over 40 years, the English-born rocker first saw stardom in the 70’s as one of the founding members of Little River Band, cracking the lucrative United States market in 1976. With eight Top Ten hits across the world and 25 million album sales, the two-time ARIA-inductee is often credited for opening the door for many Australian acts on the international circuit. 03 Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows
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Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows have been at the forefront of Australian music for decades. Renowned for their high-energy live shows, musicianship and infectious raw, rootsy rhythms, The Black Sorrows have not stopped recording and performing since their
inception in 1984. From sweet soul to wild rock’n’roll joyrides, no musical style is left in the corner waiting for a dance partner. 04 Wendy Matthews As an artist, Wendy Matthews has an expressive voice that never fails to move those who hear it. Best known for her soulful voice on ‘The Day You Went Away’, the single earned Wendy an ARIA for Best Female Artist and Best Single in 1992, and again in 1993 for Best Female Artist. From jazz to blues, rock to gospel, and of course, beautiful ballads, Wendy has an immense talent in making every style her own. 05 Frankie J Holden and Wilbur Wilde Take two legends of Australian showbusiness, put them on stage with a hot band, and you get the recipe for superb, crowd-pleasing entertainment. Back doing what they do best, Frankie and Wilbur will have you dancing and singing along to the hits of Ol’ 55, the multiplatinum band that launched them into the hearts of audiences across Australia. 06 Richard Clapton One of the nation’s favourite musical sons, legendary songwriter Richard Clapton has earned himself a special place in the history of Australian contemporary music. Boasting a career that spans more than five decades, his defining song came with ‘Girls on the Avenue’, which rocketed to #2 on the Australian charts, and transformed the obscure folk singer into a fully-fledged pop idol in a matter of weeks. Tickets for Day on the Plain are on sale now at bigskies2018.com.au
CHAMPAGNE AND CLOUDS COMBINE Bubbles, balloons and breakfast, we can’t think of a better combo to kick-start a Sunday morning on the Western Downs. Nothing beats the spectacular backdrop of Jimbour House at dawn, but we’re taking it next level with a colourful display of hot air balloons and a scrumptious champagne breakfast.
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Watch on as the wide open skies of the Jimbour Plains are turned into the perfect Kodak moment. You could be forgiven for mistaking this particular Big Skies event for Turkey’s famous Cappadocia. For only $25 for breakfast we guarantee that the scene will be equally as good and way friendlier on the hip-pocket.
One of the lucky riders taking to the air? Why not top off your incredible flight with a hot breakfast — once you’re back on solid ground of course! What are you waiting for? Get the gal pals, hubby or work colleagues together for an unforgettable morning on the grounds of the picturesque Jimbour Station.
Tourism
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GALAXY TOUR
FOOD & FIBRE FESTIVAL Eat, see
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and do
The Western Downs region is ready to showcase everything locally grown and sewn. Talk with growers as they share their passion for turning humble soil into quality food and fibre, shining a spotlight on the skilled, passionate and diverse growers around us. Watch models strut their stuff in the fashion parade, enter the signature dish competition, enjoy artisan workshops and sample the array of market stalls and exhibitors. Featuring entertainers from our local region and beyond, Food and Fibre will be a great day out for all ages with plenty to eat, see and do.
Introducing our Food and Fibre celebrity foodie, Hayden Quinn: A dash of surf and sand, a pinch of world travel and a hearty serve of home-style fare are essential ingredients in the life of Hayden Quinn. On any given day you might find Hayden hitting the waves, in the kitchen, aboard a plane, in front of the camera, capturing his own experiences behind the lens or simply making the most of the beautiful country he calls home with his mates. Hayden became a household name in 2011 as a contestant on Series 3 of MasterChef Australia, and since then, has been introduced to the Australian public showing off his diverse talents and loveable nature. Now one of Australia’s favourite media personalities, Hayden is set to bring his signature style of healthy, fresh and vibrant cooking to Big Skies 2018.
This project has been funded under the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.
HAYDE QUINNN
OUR FA CELEBR VOURITE IT JOINS B Y FOODIE IG SKIE S big skies201
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Beam me up Scotty! Hitch a ride with us to the galaxy this May, as we bring our region’s spectacular night skies to life with the ultimate ‘Guided Tour of the Galaxy’ at Jimbour Station. Imagine travelling through the Milky Way, the Big Dipper and the Southern Cross all from the comfort of your picnic rug or camping chair while our expert guide shows you the wonders of the universe. Oh, and did we mention it’s free? From astronomy basics to the mind boggling science of outer space, set to a quintessential space-themed soundtrack, getting lost in the galaxy has never looked better. May the 4th be with you — we’re not kidding, join us for our Guided Tour of the Galaxy at Jimbour Amphitheatre on Friday 4 May.
Follow us on Facebook for all the latest news Big Skies
But most importantly — Star Trek or Star Wars? WESTERN DOWNS
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AUSTRALIA DAY BY NUMBERS
1,879
people through the gates
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new Aussies
AUSTRALIA DAY WRAP UP Snags, citizens and sprinkles
700
thongs thrown
2,000 sausages sizzled
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lamingtons dipped and sprinkled See more photos on Facebook at Western Downs Regional Council
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Fairy bread, Vegemite, double-pluggers and our local heroes – they’re all the things that make our nation great, and what we came together and celebrated at our Australia Day events across the region. Whether you found yourself at the Pool Party in Moonie or Miles, ‘Flavour It Your Way’ snag competition in Chinchilla, Nerf Tag in Dalby, or a craft table in Wandoan or Jandowae, there’s nothing like an Australia Day in the Western Downs.
A big thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us, and congratulations to all of our winners!
On the Pulse
2018 REGIONAL WINNERS Citizen of the Year Award Marie-Louise Thornbury Young Citizen of the Year Award Isaac Forrest Cultural Award Nancy Evans Sports Achievement Award Dr Dean Russell Community Project / Event of the Year Award Tara Festival of Culture and Camel Races
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WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM?
WATER TOWER
RESERVOIR
SUR FAC
E W AT
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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
TREATMENT PLANT EMERGENCY SERVICES
PUMP STATION
BORE
GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN
SHALLOW ALLUVIALS
PARKS & SPORTING FIELDS
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Water, water everywhere… but where does it all come from? From dams, rivers and creeks to deep underground, Council’s Utilities team delivers water from across the region right
to your tap. DID YOU KNOW: In the 2016/17 period alone, Council’s vast treatment system produced 3,249 megalitres of water — that’s equivalent to over 1,200 Olympic swimming pools!
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AG FACTS WANDOAN
CATTLE FEEDLOT
DULACCA
MILES CHINCHILLA
JANDOWAE
BRIGALOW WARRA
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CONDAMINE
INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE
PIGGERY DALBY TARA
GLENMORGAN MEANDARRA
68 FEEDLOTS boasting 265,340 CATTLE on feed
One of the four pillars of the Western Downs economy has been prominently in the limelight recently, and for good reason. Intensive agriculture has steadily risen to its status as a powerhouse industry in the Western Downs, and is showing no signs of slowing down. With a remarkable 68 feedlots, boasting 265,340 cattle on feed and a further 23 piggeries, with 229,179 pigs on feed, the numbers speak for themselves.
23 PIGGERIES with 229,179 PIGS
Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh said the region was gearing up to support secondary industries off the back of intensive agriculture. “We have the end product we need for an abattoir right here, so what a great opportunity to start researching the viability of those sorts of developments here on the Western Downs,” he said.
Intensive agriculture is a fundamental part of our region, and the freight opportunities being created by the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and the Second Range Crossing will link our region to markets further afield.
on feed
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Open for Business
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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visited the Western Downs region to see first-hand the jobs creation at the forefront of the Energy Capital of Queensland. Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh said the visit was a chance to show the region was leading the way in creating real regional jobs for Queensland. “We are immensely proud of what the Western Downs is contributing to the Queensland economy, and having the Premier out here in the Energy Capital of Queensland is an opportunity for her to see this first hand,” he said. “The Western Downs has 10 approved solar farms so far, which when combined with the Cooper’s Gap Wind Farm will support a further 3,120 construction jobs in the renewables space and deliver an impressive $5.5 billion in investment.” The Premier flew into Miles before a site visit to the Darling Downs Solar Farm, the first of ten solar farms under construction, following development approval by the Western Downs Regional Council.
energy, it was the milestones in the renewables sector that were the order of the day. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the State Government was determined to achieve a 50% share of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, and the pipeline of projects – under construction, planned and proposed was valued at more than $20 billion with the promise of 15,000 construction jobs.
PREMIER TOURS ENERGY CAPITAL OF QUEENSLAND Photo: Office of The Premier
“The renewables sector in the Western Downs is generating jobs, and this can be seen by the unemployment rate of 4.8%. 1% below the State average,” she said. “The region is already a powerhouse in agricultural production, from beef to cotton and chick peas. Now, renewable energy is adding diversity and strength to the Western Downs economy.”
While the Western Downs has cemented a diverse economy across the four pillars of agriculture, intensive agriculture, manufacturing and
Follow all the latest on business and industry at @WesternDownsRC
10 3,120 $5.5B
Approved Solar Farms
Jobs
in renewables investment
Pentacon, Chinchilla.
GAS DEAL BRINGS JOBS The diversity of our economy has again been displayed by a new commitment to investment in the resources sector.
Kerwick’s Earthmoving, Miles.
GOING LOCAL Council is committed to employing local wherever possible, and the benefits of this approach are being felt by local businesses. Managing Director of Chinchilla’s Pentacon, Vincent Vital, said securing local contracts with the Western Downs Regional Council meant a lot.
Council Spokesperson for Works and Technical Services Councillor Greg Olm said employing local kept money in the communities.
“The nature of our industry means we have to travel a fair bit for our work, so it’s been really great my team can return home to their families at night.”
“Pentacon do a fantastic job, that’s why they have secured secondary works contracts from Council.”
Pentacon has completed works on the Bundi Bridge, Greenswamp Bridge and Burncluith Bridge as well as current work in Chinchilla installing concrete storm water piping.
Another local company to recently secure a contract is Kerwick’s Earthworks of Miles who will carry out gravel re-sheeting of five roads in the Chinchilla area and two roads in the Tara area.
A 27-year joint venture has been announced between Arrow Energy and the Shell-operated QCLNG to commercialise the majority of Arrow’s gas reserves in the region, once again putting the region on the map as a leader in the energy sector. Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh said 18 months of negotiations between Arrow, Shell and PetroChina had come
to fruition with Arrow Energy’s announcement of their 27 year commitment. Approximately 5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas reserves in the Surat Basin to be commercialised.
1,000 NEW JOBS
(800 construction roles) (200 ongoing operational roles)
Photo: Arrow Energy
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MEET THE TEAM 01
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03 01 Kyle Horrocks, Miles 02 Mark Jones and Sandy Elsden, Chinchilla 03 Harry Mager, Craig Lewington and Brock Lord, Dalby 04 Barry Bruggerman, Chinchilla Meet a handful of our Parks and Open Spaces crews — our local legends who make the Western Downs beautiful day in and day out. Not only are they garden bed beautification masters and early morning Christmas elves come December, but they’re the first on the scene to clean up storm damage, lend a hand to set up and pack up our community events, and maintain our town centres, public toilets and cemeteries across the region.
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We love gardens and open spaces. In fact, you could say we’re a little obsessed with them thanks to our very own garden guru Matt (check out his column!) and his incredible team of gardeners. And we want you to love our parks just as much as we do! That’s why over the past 18 months our Parks and Open Spaces crew has been busy creating welcoming and vibrant spaces across the region. From sprucing up Tara’s Grevillea Park to bringing a little extra colour to Wandoan’s Pocket Park with help from First Coat artist David Houghton, exploring our very own natural playground has never been more beautiful. We’re not only bringing beauty to your local parks but also safety and accessibility, with Dalby’s Thomas Jack Park playground now fully fenced and Miles ANZAC Park boasting free Wi-Fi. We can’t wait for our communities to see the fantastic new projects heading their way in 2018 — think shade, skates and water fun.
So, this weekend why not take advantage of our region’s great autumn sunshine and enjoy a picnic at one of our beautiful parks and open spaces.
OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES TEAMS: • Maintain 75 parks across the region • Plant (on average) 900 trees, 200 shrubs and 22,000 seedlings yearly • Mow 70 hectares of grass 13 to 16 times per year • Use 200 cubic metres of mulch and 1000kg of fertiliser • Select 50 different varieties of trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals for garden beds and parks across our communities
Regional Pride
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ASK ROBBO
Matthew Robertson, Parks and Open Spaces Coordinator
ADOPT A STREET TREE
Back by popular demand
The autumn and winter months are my favourite months to get out into the garden and here are three tips on what you can do in your garden in the cooler months. MULCHING I like to use organic mulch as it breaks down over time and returns vital nutrients to the soil. This freshens the appearance, helps retain moisture and restricts weed growth. Mulch to a depth of 100mm only to enable water to penetrate. WINTER COLOUR Winter doesn’t mean a dull garden. These annuals grow well in our region: calendulas, pansies, snapdragons, lobelia and alyssum will brighten up your garden or try some ornamental kale for something different. ROSE PRUNING
There’s nothing better than loving the place you live, and what better way to make your street more inviting than to add some greenery. Council’s Adopt a Street Tree program was embraced by the community, with residents nominating to have a tree planted in front of their house absolutely free. To add some leafy greens to your neighbourhood, register for our next round of planting at www.wdrc.qld.gov.au or phone our friendly Customer Service Team on 1300 COUNCIL. Terry Neville, Parks & Open Spaces West Team Supervisor
See more on social #lovewesterndowns
Give your roses a prune by the end of July to encourage new growth and blooms in spring and summer. Dispose of the cut material in your general waste and not compost, as it will more than likely contain black spot spores. Spray roses and surrounding soil with lime sulphur after pruning to help prevent black spot.
Happy Gardening Send your questions in to wdrc.comms@wdrc.qld.gov.au to be featured in Robbo’s next column.
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VISITOR WI-FI
WORKS PROJECTS Cash injection for community facilities
... BUT FIRST, LET ME TAKE A SELFIE Have your phones at the ready because selfie lovers and keen photographers will soon be able to share their Insta-worthy photos of Jimbour Homestead right from its front steps. Since introducing free visitor Wi-Fi to Miles ANZAC Park, plans are now well underway to connect Jimbour’s popular tourist attraction to Council’s network. With our inaugural Big Skies event approaching, Chinchilla’s FROG Services will bring the Homestead into the 21st Century before the week-long festival kicks off on 28 April. Being able to share photos, do research and connect on the go will introduce a whole new visitor experience to locals and tourists enjoying a day out at the photogenic historical homestead. We can’t wait to share Jimbour House from all its glorious angles live from its lush green lawns when the Wi-Fi is switched on next month! Pose…and snap!
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Dust off your skates and floaties because come spring you’ll be cheering from a new grandstand, shredding down a new halfpipe and enjoying new shade shelters. Thanks to the second round of the Queensland Government’s 2017-19 Works for Queensland program our communities in Chinchilla, Dalby, Jandowae, Mount Mowbullan, Miles, Tara and Wandoan will see an infrastructure cash injection of $2.59 million. First off the rank this month we’ll be delivering much-needed shade protection for Tara Lions Park, bringing families some peace of mind and relief from our region’s weather. This autumn will also see works commence on the refurbishment of the Chinchilla Skate Park, with winter signalling the start of repair works across our regional swimming pools. With nine projects across seven communities our residents will have plenty to look forward to in 2018. All projects are required to be completed by 30 June 2019.
Western Downs Regional Council’s projects under Works for Queensland is an initiative of the Queensland Government.
2017-19 WORKS FOR QUEENSLAND FUNDED PROJECTS: • Tara Lions Park shade protection • Chinchilla Skate Park refurbishment • Thomas Jack Park, Dalby toilet block replacement • Dalby Swimming Pool 50 metre pool grandstand upgrade • Solar installation Chinchilla Works Depot and Jandowae and Wandoan Water Treatment Plants • Bunya Mountains Mount Mowbullan Outlook • Regional Aquatic Centre project • Miles town entry statements upgrade
Liveability
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GO FOR IT! Glass bottles and jars (make sure to remove the lids!)
NO WAY! Nappies
Polystyrene foam
RECYCLING DO’S AND DON’TS
Plastic containers and bottles from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry
• Every week, our Waste Team services 10,474 households across the region
Paper and cardboard
• 33,000 tonnes of rubbish go to our Waste Facilities every year – that’s equivalent to approximately 137,500 wheelie bins
Light globes, mirrors and window glass
Syringes and medical waste
Steel and aluminum cans and empty aerosols
OUR COMMUNITIES LOVE TO RECYCLE, BUT… • Our recycling (from the yellow-lidded bins) has a contamination rate of 13% SO, WHAT CAN YOU RECYCLE?
Plastic bags, packets and film (this is a big no!)
Food scraps, garden waste and grass clippings (save these for the compost pile) Ceramics, crockery and glasses
Milk and juice cartons Chemicals and pesticides
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CR GREG OLM Spokesperson for Works and Technical Services
CR KAYE MAGUIRE
Spokesperson for Community and Cultural Development
Spokesperson for Facilities Where would we find you on a Sunday in the Western Downs region?
Favourite place on the Western Downs to spend a Saturday? Down at the Condamine River catching a fish, I have a secret spot, but I’ll keep it secret!
Either enjoying a bit of sport across the region in the company of my family or visiting my brother on his farm at Moonie.
You have a strong background in agriculture, how do you see the industry changing? Modern technology that’s coming out now is revolutionising the way we used to do things. There’s a big future for agriculture in the Western Downs; it’s what this region is built on.
CR RAY BROWN
In your portfolio of Facilities, what are you most proud of?
With your strong business background, what are some things the business community of the Western Downs can look forward to?
The acquisition and supply of renewable energy in Council and community facilities across the whole region.
In your portfolio of Works and Technical Services, what are you most proud of?
As Council, we’ve been proactive in ensuring we provide opportunity for our economy to grow.
It’s a long-term strategy that I’m very proud of Council for achieving, and to be able to place solar panels and use renewable energy on our own facilities and cut expenses to our ratepayers is a great outcome.
Being able to help someone who doesn’t have a satisfactory road, to be able to give them a better service.
It’s really important all businesses have a good governance model, and that’s one of the things I believe I bring to Council.
What’s one unique thing about our region you want outside visitors to know?
Hiring local is also extremely important. They have to be competitive and be able to do the work, and we’ve seen some local businesses step up to the plate and they’ve been doing really good work.
What art exhibition have you really enjoyed recently?
The amount of grain fed cattle here on the Western Downs. 52% of all grain fed beef in Australia comes out of this region.
I think the connectivity to markets and export is really having an impact.
What’s your favourite activity to do with your grandchildren? To be out on the farm out at Brigalow, processing cattle, particularly with my granddaughters. They’re very helpful and they understand cattle and we never have any arguments. I think it’s a bit special, the granddaughter and grandfather relationship. What’s one thing you’d like visitors to our region to see? Nice clean, tidy country towns. I think it’s very important that we keep our standards high no matter what’s going on.
Last year’s ‘Sense of Wonder’ at Lapunyah Art Gallery. Two sisters Robyn Dower (artist) and Kay Gorring (author), set up an exhibit of a grandmother’s house, with a timeline and so many props — it was amazing.
We are a major agricultural contributor to the gross domestic product of Australia, and that’s something to be really proud of.
What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend in our region?
What does the future hold for the Western Downs?
I love getting out to community events to just enjoy the atmosphere and the unique activities.
Being a key energy provider for Australia and Queensland and that includes gas, renewables and the energy derived from agriculture to our people.
Every event has something different, something unique like Moonie’s Yabbie Races. What has 2018 got in store for your Community and Cultural Development portfolio? I’d really like to lift the profile of artists in our communities and have them not just exhibiting in galleries, but also in other avenues too.
Our people are our number one natural resource, and one of the things that we are extremely proud of.
Our cultural side is just so important for our health and wellbeing — getting people to participate in any kind of art, activity or sport. Also creating activation opportunities for our youth. It’s great to see how the Dalby community benefit from work at the skate park, and Chinchilla will also benefit from their planned skate park.
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Five minutes with...
WESTERN DOWNS
01 We’re not only talking the talk; we’re walking the walk when it comes to doing things smarter to deliver top value services and projects for our local communities.
COUNCIL AWARDS
From customer service to improving planning processes, Council staff, teams and departments are making waves and setting benchmarks in Queensland and across Australia.
Setting the standard
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But don’t take our word for it, we’ll let our award winners take the spotlight.
01 Council’s Development Assessment Team, Winner of Queensland Planning Institute of Australia Awards for Excellence - Improving Planning Processes and Practices Award, and Strategic Planning Team, Best Planning Ideas: Large Project Commendation 02 CEO Ross Musgrove, Winner of Manager of the Year Local Government Managers Australia Queensland Leadership and Management Excellence Award, and Corporate Services General Manager Scott Peut 03 Brianna Allen, Trainee of the Year Darling Downs South West Region, and Mayor Paul McVeigh
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04 Council’s Customer Contact Team, Winner of Innovation in Service Delivery National Local Government Customer Service Network Award 05 Community & Liveability General Manager Jodie Taylor, The Downs Woman in Business of the Year Award Finalist, Cr Andrew Smith, and Simone Hubner, The Downs Aspiring Young Business Women’s Award Finalist
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