Style magazine Toowoomba - February 2023

TOOWOOMBA FEBRUARY 2023

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o t e l p o e p g n i r e Empow

Your local HEALTH & WELLNESS guide

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Inside:

Celebrating VALENTINE’S DAY your own way

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Welcome to the February edition of Style magazine! We’ve got a packed issue for you this month, with a special Health and Wellness Guide for all your wellbeing needs, great stories, and more.

Style sat down with a local couple who have been married for 57 years to discover their secret for a happy relationship, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Read what they had to say on page 8, or flick to page 10 to discover the family who are doing cosplay and cars together. Or discover the meaning behind ‘Galentine’s Day’ and how you can celebrate your friendships (p12).

Going along with the Valentine’s Day theme, we’ve also got some delicious recipes to cook at home for your significant other if going out isn’t your jam this year – or get in with those last-minute date bookings at some local restaurants (p32). While you’re at it, why not try out couples costumes with some ‘matchy-matchy’ fashion on page 20. Or, if you’re alone this V-Day, look after yourself with some hot self-pamper tips (p23).

Whatever you’re doing for Valentine’s Day and the rest of this last summer month, the Style team wishes you all the best.

Til next month! xx

Photographed by Matt Ryan of MRP Images, Empower Care’s Judah Jackson chats to clients Meleana, Maylea and Jackson Hall

@stylemagazinestoowoomba

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This local couple has a love story going back more than 57 years - how do they do it?

JOURNALISTS & CONTRIBUTORS Jessica Kramer, Megan Masters, Alexandra Feiam, Savaira Ratukula, Alyssa Welke, Kirrily Schwarz, Emily Bosman, Debbie Phillips SUB EDITORS Alyssa Welke, Jessica Kramer DESIGN Justine Costello ADVERTISING MANAGER Erika Brayshaw STYLE MAGAZINE TOOWOOMBA CONTACT DETAILS style@news.com.au Level 1/5 Keefe Street, Toowoomba City PO BOX 40, Toowoomba QLD 4350

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Look after yourself this Valentine’s Day with these tips

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Emily’s Adventures continues with Northern Territory gems

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FEATURE Love story

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VALENTINE’S DAY Gifting outside the box

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FOOD At-home Valentine’s Day recipes

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EDUCATION Mates versus soulmates

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FEATURE Family fun

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FASHION Clothing couple-up

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FOOD Last-minute dinner date options

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BUSINESS Tiny habits for work happiness

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FEATURE How to celebrate Galentines

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BEAUTY Self-care pamper tips for V-Day

33

ADVERTISING FEATURE Health and wellness guide

56

ENTERTAINMENT Your guide to film, books and audio

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WEDDING Kaitlyn and Steve tie the knot

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WELLNESS The power of making tiny changes

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HOME AND LIVING Six interior design rules to break

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SOCIALS King of the Mountain race day

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Power to the people

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f there’s one thing that drives Daniel Mikhail, as well as Judah Jackson and the Empower Care team, it’s a passion to empower people to live their best lives no matter their disability or infirmity.

Late last year, Mr Mikhail took over Empower Care, a fledgling company aimed at providing NDIS participants, and now aged care clients, with the support and services they need to make the most of life.

In that short time, Empower Care have already tripled their client base and the staff to support them and there are no plans to slow down the growth curve.

Mr Mikhail, Empower Care’s managing director, said at the core of their company is a desire to help people and enable each participant to grow in independence.

“We aim to build lasting relationships with our clients and help them improve their quality of life,” he said.

He said Empower Care staff could help with just about anything to do with the NDIS, such as living supports and community involvement, co-ordinating the various supports required and matching services to needs, and providing a roof over your head and help with cleaning the bathroom.

Mr Mikhail said the original inspiration behind becoming an NDIS provider was to bring it all together for clients to help remove the stresses of dealing with an assortment of providers for different needs.

He had friends who required a range of NDIS services who were often frustrated by the difficulty and confusing process of sorting out support services, and as a

consequence were not getting all the care they needed.

The Empower Care support staff are the foundation of the important services provided, making it possible to help participants achieve independence and a better quality of life.

That could involve helping a person with a congenital disability improve their quality of life and increase the number of tasks they could complete on their own, or it could be helping a car crash or sporting accident victim to rebuild their strength and independence.

“Everyone working with us has their heart in the job; our participants come first,” Mr Mikhail said.

He said staff at Empower Care were always chosen based on their excellence and passion for helping others.

Empower Care operations manager Judah Jackson said their services span a wide range of needs and could be as big as supporting someone to be able to manage their own NDIS plan or as simple as getting them the support to be able to pour a drink.

Their five pillars of support are capacity building, supported independent living, assistance with daily living, community access and support co-ordination.

“We hope to help people to live their life a bit happier and live their life to full capacity,” Mr Jackson said.

“We just hope to make things as easy and streamlined as we can to take the burden off our participants.

“We can organise appointments with GPs or occupational therapists etc., but not all of

our participants require a high level of support,” he said.

That means the goal is to help take some of the frustration and adversity out of life and replace it with support that doesn’t reduce autonomy.

“For some it might be just taking them to do their shopping or go to the movies, but

For some it might be just taking them to do their shopping or go to the movies, but others require more assistance others require more assistance.”

Mr Jackson said an important part of the Empower Care team’s work is in providing supported independent living units, as well as assisting people who are already in their own homes to maintain independence.

For some, getting into the rental market can be overwhelming and daunting, with minuscule vacancy rates coupled with the specific requirements of finding a home suitable to someone with limited mobility or a disability.

“A lot of people on the NDIS can’t find accommodation to suit them.”

Fortunately, the team at Empower Care hopes to make this an easy process through their supported independent living service; by being able to provide accommodation and support in one place.

“It can be really difficult to find a rental and a place to call home and that’s what we provide. Our team can then provide support within that supported independent living.”

Currently the business owns a duplex in Toowoomba, but is already looking for additional units in both Toowoomba and Brisbane to expand the service before the end of this year.

The most recent addition to their company, it could also mean helping ageing clients to remain in their homes longer before having to go into an aged care facility.

“Our goal is not to take over their ability to look after themselves,” Mr Mikhail said.

“It’s helping them to maintain their independence and help them stay in their own home longer.

“We’re here to work with them to increase their independence.”

Far from simply being a provider that just deals with people who have lifelong disabilities, Mr Mikhail said capacity building was a big part of their daily work.

Mr Mikhail said Empower Care has lofty goals for business expansion with every confidence they could achieve them all.

The company values integrity and excellence, and its support staff are committed to providing participants with the highest quality services.

To find out more about Empower Care visit empowercare.com.au or call 1300 195 625.

Opposite page Top left: Empower Care operations manager and support worker Judah Jackson takes a stroll through Queens Park with clients Jackson, Maylea and Meleana Hall, and support worker Tiffany Hall.

Bottom left: Client and employee Ian Neideck enjoys a chat with Tiffany.

Middle: Meleana enjoys playing in the park.

Bottom right: Judah and Meleana converse.

This page Left: Jackson, Meleana and Maylea get busy in the kitchen under the watchful eye of Tiffany.

Right: Empower Care managing director Daniel Mikhail (far right) with his family.

PHOTOS: Matt Ryan, MRP Images 7 STYLE

feature

Love story A local couple explains the secret behind the success of their 57-year marriage

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hey may not be marriage counsellors, but after 57 years of marriage and six children, Peter and Edwina Tierney have learned a thing or two about marriage and both agree the cornerstone of a successful union is the ability to talk things out.

Mr and Mrs Tierney met 60 years ago at a dance and apart from looks, it was their great conversations that lit the spark marking the beginning of six decades of partnership.

For Mrs Tierney, it was also the idea of a true partnership that was appealing. Having grown up with a father who “ruled the roost”, it was nice to feel like a respected part of the team.

While both were immediately taken with the appearance of the other, Mrs Tierney warned that physical compatibility could come and go, so if you weren’t on the same page intellectually and emotionally, you could have a recipe for disaster.

Despite not being marriage counsellors, the duo did actually volunteer as part of a marriage preparation team for their church parish and said their observation held true with the couples they met.

“I still remember a couple who were two weeks from getting married and it turned out that she didn’t want kids and he did want them, but they hadn’t communicated that to each other,” Mrs Tierney said. “I don’t think they ended up getting married.”

The duo now laughs about their meeting for a few reasons.

Firstly their grandchildren’s horrified reactions when told that Mrs Tierney was only 17 when she met 23-year-old Peter cause a bit of a giggle, and Mrs Tierney gets her own laugh when announcing that her beau was actually playing the field a little when they began courting.

“He was seeing a few other girls when we met,” she laughs.

He may have been looking for the right girl, but Mr Tierney knew he had found her after their first dance.

“We just clicked right from the word go,” he said. “When I finished my trade as a signwriter I travelled around a lot and when I got back, everyone else had got married except myself and another guy.

“So we decided to go out to a dance and I saw her there.”

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He pulled me over and gave me a kiss and all the bells went off in my heart Mrs Tierney said she felt a tap on her shoulder as the lights went down and the disco ball started spinning, and next thing she knew she was dancing with the handsome young tradesman.

The rest, as they say, was history.

Mr Tierney offered to drive her home, and for the first time in her young life, she felt safe enough to say yes. They chatted the whole way and when they pulled up out the front of her Sydney home and she felt him reach for her hand.

“I thought he wanted to shake my hand, but he pulled me over and gave me a kiss and all the bells went off in my heart,” she said.

“I didn’t tell my mum about the kiss, but I did tell her I thought I had met someone special.”

The meeting began two years of courtship culminating in a beautiful, if damp, wedding ceremony that almost left the young Mrs

Edwina and Peter Tierney on their wedding day, right, the couple now, and left, when they moved to Toowoomba.

Tierney with pneumonia. It may have been an inauspicious beginning, but it marked the start of something truly special.

Within a year they had their first child and knew they wanted to leave New South Wales as there was more sign-writing work available in Queensland at the time.

They thought about Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, but decided on Toowoomba because they were keen to get out of the rat race and find somewhere beautiful to raise their young family.

They bought a block just out of town on the east side of Toowoomba, which eventually turned out to be quite central as the city grew steadily, and built a beautiful home together.

They still live in that Alderley St home and are regularly visited there by their children and grandchildren.

Mrs Tierney said the past six decades hadn’t been without their ups and downs, particularly through the 90s when so many families and businesses were struggling with high interest rates.

After working with a local sign-writing business for a short time, Mr Tierney decided to continue his father’s business, Tierney

Signs, in Toowoomba. While he has now retired, their son Liam has continued the family business.

Mrs Tierney ran the accounts, no mean feat in a recession, when money was tight all around.

They weathered the storms with the help of a lot of tolerance, humour and good communication, and these days are able to feel proud of their achievements both at home with their family and at work with their business.

These days they continue to enjoy their retirement and stay busy with the Toowoomba Parkinson’s Support Group, which they joined when Mr Tierney was diagnosed with the condition.

Mrs Tierney said community connection was also something that helped them weather the ups and downs of marriage, children, and living so far away from their family and friends in Sydney.

When they first moved to Toowoomba they found it through the St Thomas More’s Church parish and since then they had grown to really love and embrace the sense of community in Toowoomba.

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Family fun

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They say ‘the family that plays together, stays together’, and never has this been more true than for this local household, writes Jeffrey Brown and Kerryn Muir with Jessica Kramer

or Ebony Allum, her introduction to cosplay began in 2007 when – as a 20-year-old was already intrigued by the style and drama of Japanese cartoons – was invited to a Supanova event in Brisbane. There she met dozens of fellow artistic folk who relish recreating the stunning costumes and quirky characters from movies, TV shows, cartoons and even video games.

Several members of her family already enjoyed cosplay and Supanova and had old cars as well.

“Grandparents through to grandchildren, age is no barrier, we get together and have fun. We meet a lot of interesting people, both through the various car club circles and through cosplay,” says Ebony’s father’s girlfriend Kerryn Muir.

At times, it leads to a lifelong friendship with like-minded people from all over the country and even overseas, who are car enthusiasts, restoring old vehicles to their former glory. There are the rare times when the groups overlap and the two combine to make a special union. “Graham and I enjoy cosplay and both have old cars – a match made in heaven, what more could you want?

A big lotto win would be nice; financially these old cars are a bottomless pit!” Kerryn laughs.

Through cosplay the family meet many interesting people also.

“Sometimes we pay for the privilege of meeting a star from one of the movies, a photo or an autograph for our collection. On odd occasions we’ve had actors come and ask for a photo of us in costume, with them.

That’s cool!

“Other times it’s only a brief encounter, a quick, passing photo with one or all of the group for the price of a gold coin donation.

The volume of patrons who visit Supanova has to be seen to be believed. Most are in costumes, some unbelievably detailed.”

For Ebony, a major part of the fun is in the creation of these costumes and seeing how closely you can not only reproduce the outfit, but the character – especially the more obscure ones – and see if you’ll be recognised.

One of her first was Agent Paper, a female detective from the Japanese cartoon Read or Die. In the cartoon, Agent Paper drags a small suitcase behind her as she goes about her business. It’s not a well-known anime, so she was amazed how quickly her character was recognised, even if they had to literally trip over her suitcase to do so.

Another big aspect behind cosplay’s attraction is “becoming the character”. Once in costume, it’s easy to extend the fun by STYLE 10

playing the part – even when in a big event there are many characters from a very diverse field all crossing paths and mixing together. It may not be regular theatre, but it’s fun and engaging, creative and skill-developing, with the characters also the audience.

It’s also become a family affair, as she and husband Dave love dressing as the very brightly colourful Mario and Luigi characters, to the delight of their two little girls Penny and Josie – outfits she cobbled together from bits and pieces while hand-making the rest.

The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie trilogies have provided a huge field of exotic costumes to play with so Ebony, with somewhat shanghaied husband Dave, have created a very believable Merry and Pippin pair, along with a female dwarf (with obligatory beard), and an Elvish warrior for Dave to go with Ebony’s Numenorean Lady outfit. They’ve paired up as Beren and Luthien (and she’s even made a Queen of Cats outfit) from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion

novel – a background story to Middle Earth.

Kerryn and Ebony’s father Graham also get involved with the Tolkein fun.

“People ask for a photograph with us, while we are dressed as a familiar character from one of the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings movies.

“They all have their own story to tell; it’s lovely to swap tales with them. Some come back each year, becoming regular supporters, familiar faces at our Tolkien booth, friends, if only for a short visit, once or twice a year.”

The Brisbane Tolkien Fellowship is their group, with people of all ages, 1 to 81, and from all walks of life, who share a love of all things Tolkien – the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit books and movies and much more.

“Our members meet up for Supernova twice a year and we host a dinner dance, open to the public, once a year plus various other outings,” Kerryn explains.

“For example, a day trip in a mini bus to visit the Gympie Hobbit Holes or a photo shoot in costume in a bush or parkland

setting, recreating scenes from the movies.

Like with all good Hobbits, there is generally food involved, a shared picnic or meeting at a restaurant or our dinner dance.”

They’ve even had some of the actors from the Hobbit movies join them for their dinner dances. Jed Brophy has been an extra in all the Lord of the Rings movies, as an orc, a ringwraith, an elf, a Rider of Rohan and so on.

“Jed, who played the role of Nori the dwarf in the Hobbit movies, along with Peter Hambleton (Gloin) and John Callen (Oin) have come over from New Zealand to our dinner dances and we’ve teleconferenced with Sarah McLoud (Rosie Cotton) when Covid stopped us all getting out and about,” Kerryn says.

“All wonderfully generous people who have made themselves available to help us raise money for the Pyjama Foundation, the charity our club donates to.”

They’ve also been fortunate enough to rub shoulders with actors who have worked with Sir Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Peter Jackson and Martin Freeman, just to name a few.

“They regale us with stories of on-set pranks or premiere night high-jinks, and through the six degrees of separation theory, we feel closer to those big stars and the characters they portray, which we mimic with our cosplay.”

Back at Supanova, Graham is the family’s Saruman (but often mistaken for Gandalf or Dumbledore as well), decked out in the costume made by Ebony. She painstakingly copied Christopher Lees’ Saruman costume.

Another movie series providing unlimited scope for Ebony’s creations is Star Wars.

Her personal favourite is Padme’s Mustafar outfit – handmade without a pattern while pregnant herself, for Brisbane’s Supernova last year.

Another beloved outfit is a Princess Leia full length costume from The Empire Strikes Back. It started with an internet search for the basic dress – which she found in almost the exact colour, then a troll through op shops, collecting material and clothing that could be modified. She never goes to costume shops – the outfits never suit. It has also meant she had to teach herself how to sew.

“It’s ‘guerrilla sewing’ – that’s what it’s called apparently,” she says.

It may not win a nod of approval from a qualified seamstress but, she continued, with a twinkle in her eye, “it gets the job done”.

Which is the foundation stone to the exciting challenge of cosplay – recreating an intricate costume with whatever means you have.

“People get extremely creative,” she says,

“and incredibly skilful”.

Discovering her own new abilities, she made the mould for her husband’s Star Wars Imperial Bodyguard full face helmet, which her brother completed in fibreglass. The result may not be totally exact, she confesses, but with the full length red cloak, is still striking.

Other outfits that reveal extraordinary creative skills, including mechanical expertise she’s encountered at big events like Supanova, are a man who has created a nearly two-metre-tall Sauron as a character, requiring stilts within the costume, and others who have handmade gigantic video game characters they have to climb up into and use electric motors to aid movement.

When asked if she gets much pleasure or sense of achievement from her creations, her answer is an emphatic, “Absolutely!” She’s most proud of the outfit she created for her 6’2” father, who transforms into Saruman from Lord of the Rings – complete with the long staff topped with its crystal ball that lights up.

In the wings are more characters coming together, as Ebony’s guerrilla seamstress skills increase and her sights widen.

Currently it’s really only the big Brisbane and Gold Coast events that cater for such creative expressions, though the small local band of cosplay enthusiasts are growing, and making their own fun with local costume parties and get-togethers.

They regale us with stories of on-set pranks or premiere night high-jinks Back home, Graham and Kerryn are involved in the old car scene as well, with Kerryn owning a 1955 FJ Holden Ute that has been lovingly restored.

“My great-grandfather, John Henry Hilton, lived on a property at Columboola (the whistlestop just before Miles). In 1955 he went to Chinchilla and bought a brand-new car – it was to replace their horse and sulky.

While my great-grandfather owned the car, he never actually drove it, for he never had a licence and he never learned how to drive,” Kerryn says.

“One of his sons, my great-uncle Joe, also worked and lived on the farm and eventually inherited the property. Uncle Joe drove the FJ everywhere for many years, as it was common in those days for the farm ute to also be the town car.”

When Kerryn was in her teens, Joe pensioned the FJ off to farm use only, once he upgraded the town car duties to a Toyota

Corolla. His declining health forced him to sell up and move to Toowoomba to be closer to medical care, so a neighbour bought the property and the FJ, then parked-up in the hay shed, was sold with the farm.

The neighbours took the ute with them when they moved location to a Condamine property some years later and all their children learned to drive in it on the farm. By then it was pretty battered about, with rust eating away at the mudguards and a wheelbarrow of dust dug out from each side rear quarter panel.

“Over those years, my father often lamented that he wished he’d kept the FJ somehow, and restored it. It was his only link to his grandfather,” Kerryn explains. “One weekend while discussing it – for the umpteenth time – mum and I convinced him to call the neighbours, whom we’d kept in casual contact with. To our surprise they said they were actually intending to advertise the ute for sale that coming weekend and if we wanted it, it was ours. SOLD – for $800! That was in 1992.”

The family hastily organised a mate with a 4wd and borrowed a car trailer to go out and collect the sorry-looking ute – and so the longed-for restoration began.

“I was in the later stages of my pregnancy when we brought the ute back to Toowoomba, so I didn’t play much of a part in the restoration,” Kerryn says. “My dad and a ‘backyard mechanic’ neighbour began work

on it immediately – a long, slow, painstaking and exacting process.

“My dad, while having little mechanical knowledge, is a perfectionist, so set up a network of contacts with other FJ owner/ restorers to source the harder-to-get bits and to access their wealth of knowledge on the restoration processes.”

Bit-by-bit it came together and in 1995, as close to 40 years to the day it was first registered as they could get, it was reregistered, with personalised plates to get the same rego number it had originally. The actual date fell on the weekend so the family went in on the Friday and Kerryn and her father became the proud joint owners and drivers of his pop’s ute.

“Some years later, while my daughter Rochelle was still at school, my dad transferred his share over to her, as the next generation. Both ‘as proud as punch’, he drove her to her school formal in it.”

That was 13 years ago and Kerryn is not quite ready to hand her share over to her daughter yet, saying she still enjoys driving it to car shows and local events and having it around.

“Yes, it was a hardworking farm ute, but it’s now living a ‘retired’ life where its thoroughly cosseted and pampered. It’s barely even had a bale of hay on the polished timber ute floor,” she says.

But it’s not that it has done nothing since retiring. It once featured in the local Holden showroom when the new Holden VU ute as released circa 2001 as a comparison between old and new.

“And it’s kept totally original, just as we all remember it – so no indicators and no seatbelts, plus six volt headlights that you have to get out and look to see if they are on, erratic vacuum wipers (not electric), and three-speed column change gearbox, with no synchro on first gear,” Kerryn says.

“The original six cylinder ‘grey’ motor, at only 132 cubic inches in capacity (2.1litre) is no powerhouse, but that’s irrelevant. It’s pop’s ute. That’s why we’re all adamant, even though we’ve been offered reasonably good money, our old FJ Holden ute is not for sale at any price! It’s family.”

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How to celebrate Galentine’s Day Celebrating your ‘gal pals’ is important every day of the year, but dedicating a day to do so is extra special, writes Jessica Kramer

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ptly called Galentine’s Day – a fun blend of ‘gal’ and ‘Valentine’ – this celebration was first coined by TV show Parks and Recreation’s character Leslie Knope back in 2010. While the original script has Galentine’s Day falling the day prior to Valentine’s – February 13 – many people also choose to celebrate on February 14 itself, especially if they or their pals are single. This year has also seen a push for Galentine’s Day to be more inclusive, celebrating platonic relationships of all types.

So, how do you celebrate your besties on February 13? You can host a friendship party with our guide on this page, take one of the ideas below, or come up with your own fantastic celebration.

Create a personalised hamper or care package

Mates matter Show your friends how much you love them this Valentine’s Day, writes Savaira Ratukula

F

ebruary is the month of love and romance, with Valentine’s Day the dedicated calendar date for romancing that special someone in your life.

But it doesn’t mean only showering your significant other with love.

Celebrate your platonic mates too by getting together and showing how much you love and appreciate each other with one or more of these activities.

Ready your PJs for a classic sleepover by turning your chosen space into a layered cocoon of pillows and blankets. Apply face masks, eat junk food, play Truth or Dare over a glass of wine, catch the latest binge-worthy streaming series or watch your favourite childhood films.

How about running a friendship themed movie marathon with classics like The Breakfast Club and The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants to comedies like Wild Child and Girls Trip, all the way to childhood favourites like Toy Story, E.T or Ice Age? If not a sleepover, set up a comfortable environment for you and your friends to gather and

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chill. In your chosen area, set up pieces that will elevate the space like candles or lanterns, pot plants or bouquets of flowers, heart shaped decor, speakers or a vinyl record player for some tunes et cetera. Hop online to find inspo and get creative with simple and easy DIY projects like a balloon garland or photo display.

Have some fun and break out the games to encourage a good laugh and get everyone involved.

Games like What do you Meme?, Truth or Dare, Jenga, Cards Against Humanity or Would You Rather, as well as classics like Pictionary, Guess Who?, Connect Four or Operation.

Of course you can’t have a celebration without some refreshments. Concoct different alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks (based on your party’s preference) and have each friend make one for the group that best represents themselves.

Is your group into food? Why not bake a few Valentine’s inspired desserts and sweet treats. Get everyone involved by baking in your kitchen, or have your friends bring their baked treats to share.

Or if you’re looking to class things up, host a dinner party. Ask your friends to bring a dish to share and dress up in elegant attire. Send out sleek invitations, stock your bar with enough libations, set up a semi-formal table setting (quick Google search for details), put out place cards, and arrange some fresh roses or candles as centrepieces.

These are fun to both create and to receive! Find a cute basket, box, or even a tote bag so your recipient can reuse the packaging.

Then have a think about your bestie’s favourite things, what inspires them, and what they use regularly.

Find little gifts that reflect what you came up with – this could be cute hair clips and a face mask, some special tea, an on-brand book or movie, a handmade jar with inspirational quotes on strips of paper inside, and some chocolates.

Wrap them in some pretty paper or packaging that reflects your friend’s aesthetic, and include some notes on why you picked the items for the perfect personalised present!

Enjoy a DIY day Are you and your friends the crafty types? You can celebrate Galentine’s Day by grabbing some supplies and getting creative for the day.

Make a collection of homemade greeting cards for the year’s worth of birthdays and special occasions, do an at-home paint-and-sip session, create your own resin cheese boards … the list is endless!

Gather some snacks and beverages

and your group of gal pals are all set.

Get in some R & R With our busy lives it’s so important to set aside time for rest and relaxation, so why not blend the two and treat yourself and your pals to a chilled-out Galentine’s Day? If you want to go all-out, many day spas have packages for groups of girlfriends – or you can book massages, sauna sessions, or manicures. If you’d rather stay in, enjoy an at-home spa day with some face masks, foot soaks, and nail polish.

Do relationship-building activities Team-building days aren’t just for workplaces – you can celebrate how your friendship group works together with fun activities this month as well.

For the more adventurous, go climbing or canoeing together; if your friends prefer activities with a little less adrenaline, think escape rooms or laser tag.

Take part in a gift swap Instead of giving generic gifts this Galentine’s Day, find out more about your friends’ favourite things.

Have everyone bring their preferred book, movie, beauty product, tea, or something else you all enjoy. You can either do a SecretSanta-style gift exchange, or make things more fun by having recipients guess who gave them the item based on their knowledge of their friends’ favourite things.

event

advertising feature

Left: The original arbour at Marinya has been lovingly restored; Top: Marinya hosted many popular garden parties in the early days of QCWA; Above: The Garden Party Committee surrounding Frances Tilly’s 10-yearold Ruth Fairfax Rose bush from which cuttings were taken in February 2022.

Mark a century of growth QCWA celebrates 100 years with a garden party

U

sing the grounds of founding president Ruth Fairfax’s historic Darling Downs property, Marinya, the Queensland Country Women’s Association is hosting a fabulous Garden Party on Saturday, March 25.

A committee of six local women have been planning the event for the past year and are eagerly anticipating sharing the day with guests, with many different elements planned.

Ruth’s grandson Tim Fairfax will unveil a specially-made plaque on the Celtis tree that witnessed the first QCWA Garden Parties held at Marinya, and a Ruth Fairfax Rose will be planted at the property as well.

These roses were discontinued after their creation for QCWA’s 90th anniversary in 2012, but retired nursery gardener Malcolm Sypher has been busy throughout the past year to have a new plant ready for the Garden Party.

Malcolm took cuttings from QCWA and Garden Party Committee member Frances Tilly’s Ruth Fairfax Rose in February 2022 and grafted them onto root stock, and by October last year there were six new healthy rose plants with one already starting to bud, ready for planting in the Marinya garden come March this year.

Now a 1600-acre cattle and grain property in Cambooya, Marinya was home of John Hubert and Ruth Fairfax shortly after they were married and moved from Longreach in 1908, it was where their son Vincent was born a year later, and it was where Ruth

nurtured the beginnings of the fledging organisation that was the QCWA in the early 1920s, hosting regular garden parties and events.

Marinya is now owned by David and Debbie House and their family, who have kindly allowed access to the property on the day for the Garden Party.

The event will also feature a fashion parade in the afternoon with ladies from the QCWA branches dressing up in different decades of fashion and arriving in vintage cars. All Garden Party guests are welcome to dress in any period costume of their choice.

There will be stalls selling memorabilia and craft items, as well as tea and coffee vans, food stalls, and – of course – scones with jam and cream.

A centenary celebration cake will be cut during the party as well, with Marie Ehrlich

doing the honours as a QCWA member with more than 70 years of membership and four generations at Kingsthorpe’s branch.

The Master of Ceremonies will be none other than Angus Lane, who is coming out of retirement specially for the Garden Party, while guests will be able to take photos standing under the refurbished Banksia Rose Arbour as Ruth once did.

The QCWA Marinya Garden Party committee would like to thank sponsors Clive Berghofer Land Sales, Inland Rail, Webster Cavanagh Rural, Tilly’s Crawler Parts, Tilly’s Earthmoving Pty Ltd and Nutrien Ag Solutions for their support.

Get your tickets by visiting eventbrite.com until bookings close on Friday, March 17.

For inquiries, email darlingdownsdivision@qcwa.org.au or call 0400 925 111.

QCWA Darling Downs Division invites you to MARINYA Cambooya for a Garden Party Picnic in the garden of our Founding State President Ruth Fairfax OBE to celebrate our 100th Anniversary 1922-2022 Picnic boxes can be ordered or BYO Alternatively Food and Coffee Vans will be on site

EVENT date Saturday 25th MARCH 2023 For online bookings www.eventbrite.com from January 2023 Bookings close Friday 17 th March 2023.

Enquires. 0400 925 111 Or email fwtilly@bigpond.net.au 13 STYLE

feature

advertising feature

Snoring keeping you lonely?

I

f you wake up every morning still feeling tired, you’re not alone – it can even happen to sporting greats like beloved Aussie cricketer Merv Hughes.

Hughes is beginning his third year as brand ambassador for CPAP Direct and managing director Bryce Perron said his story was a common one.

Hughes knew his snoring was bad and frequently woke up feeling unrested, but he had no idea that he had sleep apnoea, a condition that causes sufferers to repeatedly stop breathing at night.

In order to restart breathing, the brain sends a shot of adrenaline to the body, causing people with the condition to come out of deep sleep to a level just under consciousness, meaning they are unable to get the long stretches of uninterrupted sleep many of us take for granted. This places the cardiovascular system under immense strain every night, significantly increasing the risk of stroke, heart attack and dementia.

“The reason Merv Hughes became our brand ambassador after having a sleep study at CPAP Direct and finding out he stopped

breathing 76 times an hour,” Mr Perron said.

“Now he’s down to under one an hour and he said he feels like a completely new man.

“He’s a massive advocate. He always knew he had a problem but was alarmed to realise he had a much higher risk of stroke, heart attack and dementia compared to other people.”

It was a path Mr Perron himself had travelled.

After being diagnosed with sleep apnoea in 2008, it took Mr Perron until 2014 before his wife finally convinced him to seek treatment because the snoring and sleep disturbance was beginning to affect her sleep.

Mr Perron said he put off getting a CPAP machine because it all seemed too daunting and it wasn’t until he was considering buying CPAP Direct as a business that he finally took steps to fix his problems.

He said many people felt reluctant to seek treatment because the idea of using a CPAP machine was off-putting, but he said many were unaware of how off-putting their snoring and disturbed sleep could be for their partner.

“My wife said to me that she’d rather I look ridiculous in the dark than keep her awake all night,” Mr Perron said.

“People get over the stigma really quickly once they’re on one and realise how quiet and convenient they are.

“It’s not that bad and it makes a huge difference to your quality of life.”

Mr Perron said vast improvements had been made to CPAP study technology and CPAP Direct would soon be one of the few Queensland providers of new sleep study technology that could test people for sleep apnoea without being as bulky or intimidating as older technology.

Where in the past a sleep study might have involved multiple electrodes and wires across the face and body, the business would soon be offering level 2 sleep studies that were as simple as a single electrode across the forehead and a chest band.

Add that to an ever-growing array of different masks and machines to suit all faces and lifestyles, including campers, travellers, and cricketers with huge moustaches, and Mr Perron said the list of excuses to avoid sorting out your sleep issues was shrinking by the day.

He said Jules and the crew at CPAP Direct Toowoomba not only have first-hand

experience using the gear, but are also passionate about helping people achieve success on their CPAP journey.

They would step people through the process of trialling masks and machines, and Mr Perron said because they stock all brands, there was no incentive to recommend anything but the best tools for each individual’s circumstances.

The costs of machine rental while finding the right equipment would also be taken off the price of the machine when people were ready to buy one. They not only offer just about every payment plan or buy now, pay later service including Afterpay, Zip Pay, Humm and Centrepay, but also offer an inhome service for veterans, NDIS participants and Home Care participants.

Mr Perron said warning signs people of sleep apnoea included waking up tired regularly, going to the toilet multiple times per night, snoring, sleepiness after lunch, or sudden waking.

He said if you had any of those symptoms, it could be a sign that it is time to drop in and see the crew at CPAP Direct Toowoomba, Shop 2/161 James St, call 1300 133 298, or visit the website at cpap.com.au where you can take the online sleep test to see if you or your partner may be affected.

15 STYLE

wedding

We are opposites but it just works.

In saying that, we are both very family orientated

Kaitlyn Willett Family plays key role in wedding celebration What was the date of your wedding?

Our wedding was on Friday, December 16, 2022. We chose this date as this is when we get holidays and it is just a fun time of year with Christmas and New Years around the same time.

Where was the ceremony and reception?

The ceremony and reception were both at Preston Peak Winery. From the moment we went out to visit, we both just fell in love with it and knew that it was the place we wanted to get married.

The staff were so lovely and the day went so smoothly without any problems. The food was amazing, I can’t fault anything and wouldn’t change a thing.

STYLE 16

How many guests did you have?

We had 103 guests including our bridal party.

How did you meet your husband?

I met my husband Steve through my brotherin-law Jason. Jason was a carpenter for Steve’s building business Paragon Homes. We met a few times at parties and started talking after a few years.

How did he propose? Where was the proposal?

Steve got down on one knee and proposed to me at the lookout at Crows Nest Falls. It was so nice and we were the only ones at the lookout at the time. It was just really special to have that moment to ourselves.

When organising your wedding, what were some of the most personal and important aspects to get right on the day?

I wasn’t too stressed about things being absolutely perfect for my wedding, I was just really excited to be marrying Steve and have all of our close family and friends together.

However, once all of the main things such as venue, photographer, hair, makeup, etc. were sorted, everything else just kind of came together. I like to be creative so I did some DIY too. We really wanted all of our siblings to be a part of the wedding in some way, which they were, and wanted to recognise family, including grandparents here with us and in heaven on the day as well. I just wanted to enjoy each moment throughout the day and celebrate with loved ones.

What were some of your favourite parts of the day?

& Steve Glover celebrating at the reception – the whole day was just amazing.

I think my most favourite part though was when I first saw Steve waiting at the end of the aisle.

Where did you get your dress from? Your bridesmaid dresses?

I got my wedding dress from White Lily Couture in Brisbane and my bridesmaid dresses were online from Billy J Boutique. I wanted the girls to have a dress they could wear again.

Getting ready is so much fun! When I think back, my favourite parts were walking down the aisle with my Dad, this was so special (and he really helped calm my nerves).

Once I got to Steve at the end of the aisle I felt calm and was just feeling pure happiness.

Getting our photos done was fun (Andrew was so kind and supportive) and of course

Who supplied your flowers, table settings etc?

My beautiful work colleague and friend Karen from Bellissimo Blooms did our flowers for us. She is so talented!

The flowers were just incredible. She also did the foliage for the tables etc. and I did some

DIY making the table numbers, wedding favours and seating chart sign.

Did you have a distinct wedding theme?

How does this relate to both of your personalities and family history?

I originally had a plan to have an ‘enchanted’ theme which I think it was just what I envisioned on the day.

Steve chose his suits and the colours of the suits which tied in perfectly.

They were from Norfords. I think we both just had the vision to enjoy the day no matter what and embrace the special time with each other and loved ones.

We are opposites but it just works. In saying that, we are both very family orientated and are grateful for the people in our lives.

We have very similar values, love to laugh and have lots of fun.

The details Venue: Preston Peak Winery Dress: White Lily Couture Hair: Sarah Neill Hair Make-up: Sienna Ward Makeup Flowers: Bellissimo Blooms Entertainment: James Ryle Photographer: Andrew Coates (Salt Studios) Videographer: Andrew Coates (Salt Studios) Celebrant: Amber Gillam Caterer: Preston Peak Cake: Sweet Philosophy

17 STYLE

valentine’s day

Gifting outside the box Flowers and chocolates are nice and all, but what would your significant other really like to receive this Valentine’s Day?

For a day that’s all about showing your love and appreciation for your partner, surely gifts should be a reflection of how much you know and care about each other – or at least something that will last past a week.

Here’s some interesting gift ideas to get you started.

Lego has a variety of adult builds from vehicles to cityscapes to plants and bouquets.

It’s the perfect option if you still want to go down the flowers road in terms of a gift and if your partner enjoys hands-on activities.

A

Massage gun

There are small-batch distilleries around the country that will create a customised gin for you – the perfect personalised gift.

If that’s a little outside your budget, there are plenty of excellent varieties of gin available to reflect your partner’s tastes.

s a famous Disney clock once said, the standard gift for a loved one is along the lines of “flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep …” (and he forgot to mention the obligatory stuffed bear or other animal).

Minus the satirical ‘promises you don’t intend to keep’, these presents may be nice to receive a couple of times but not only can they get old quickly, they don’t show a huge deal of thought from the part of the giftgiver and they don’t last very long either.

STYLE 18

Save some money on massage therapist appointments and get a massage gun for the household.

The past few years have seen these handy tools really come into their own, with a wide range of features and pricepoints on the market now – and they’re perfect for both relaxation and recovery.

Lego Build your own bouquet of flowers, anyone? Not just a kid’s construction toy,

Gin

A thoughtful book Go down the lane of Friends’ Chandler/Joey and Kathy with The Velveteen Rabbit, and find a special edition of your significant other’s favourite

book. While first editions or vintage versions may be difficult to find (and pricey), there are often anniversary editions of successful books available.

Scratch-off poster This is the perfect gift if you want something to foster your relationship more and spend quality time together. Find a ‘top 100’ scratch-off poster in a movie genre you both enjoy, set a regular time to watch one, and break out the popcorn!

A quirky lamp Are lamps ever just a simple source of light anymore?

There are book-shaped lamps which turn the light on when you open the pages, moon lamps that are a sculptural replica of luna, mushroom lamps with tiny faux fungi on gently glowing logs, salt lamps for better air quality – the list is virtually endless, and you’re sure to find something that suits your partner’s tastes.

fashion

S

ummer is here and we’re finally swapping out our sweatpants for that almost forgotten joy of expression – fashion. Where better to find sartorial inspiration than in a sunsoaked cinematic moment?

We’ve had plenty of time to rewatch all our favourite films over the festive break and academic holidays – whether set in the lush Italian countryside or among the razzle dazzle of Rodeo Drive – to bring you an edit of looks and pieces to inform your wardrobe.

Here’s to beach days, pool parties, long lunches and seriously stylish soirees…

MARGE

The Talented Mr Ripley

Dress like the movies From the chic shirt and skirt combos in The Talented Mr Ripley to the iconic polka dots of Pretty Woman, here are our top summer film looks

Anthony Minghella’s critically acclaimed 1999 thriller might simmer with dark and twisted plot points, but visually it’s soft and sumptuous.

Set between the cliffside resorts and picturesque palazzos of the Italian Riviera in the late 1950s, the film depicts a glorious summer sojourn with covetable costumes to match.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Marge Sherwood steals the screen in a mix of easy, breezy separates: white linen shirts tied nonchalantly at the waist, full skirts splashed with dainty florals, light and luxurious knits, and strappy, sophisticated swimwear.

It’s a distinct brand of European prep that can be re-created in Australia with paredback pastels, relaxed silhouettes and subtle feminine flourishes.

Slip into these lovely looks, then be transported – metaphorically speaking, at least – to a world of glittering coastlines, jazz clubs and cocktails.

MARIANNE

A Bigger Splash On a scale of one to exceptionally chic, Marianne Lane’s capsule holiday wardrobe registers off the scale.

The protagonist of the 2015 psychological drama A Bigger Splash, played by Tilda Swinton, drifts around a remote Sicilian island in loose linens, billowing dresses, crisp cottons and crumpled linens – all in a beautiful palette of ivory and blue.

Her wardrobe is head-to-toe Dior, conceived by the Parisian house’s then-

creative director Raf Simons, although the same aesthetic can be achieved with elevated basics, soft and sultry shapes, and timeless summer staples. This is fashion made for lounging around grand old villas; for soaking up citrus-scented days by the pool and balmy nights under the stars.

VIVIAN

Pretty Woman It’s one of the most iconic movie makeovers of all time: Vivian Ward’s transformation as she swaps the Hollywood Boulevard for Beverly Hills. While the 1990 storyline of the rags-to-riches tale starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere may have aged a little questionable, the costumes remain universally relevant.

Vivian’s famous chocolate and white polka dot dress would be equally fitting for a polo match or ladies’ lunch, and her boxy blazers paired with Bermuda shorts featured on recent international runways in poppy sorbet hues.

Male protagonist Edward’s white shirt also deserves a special mention (thrown over a woman’s dress is a lesson in carefree cool), while a classic white tee teamed with straight-leg indigo jeans will never go out of style. Get the look with these new-season pieces made for summer in the city – and remember, writing off the fashion in this film would be a big mistake. Huge.

LiTERALLY EVERYONE Call Me By Your Name

Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 meditation on life and love is defined by its coming-of-age romance, languid Mediterranean setting and sweeping cinematography – but fashion also plays a starring role.

The characters spend the sun-dappled summer of 1983 dressed in gelato pastels, breezy button-downs and preppy polos – and while many of the standout style moments belong to men, the aesthetic easily translates to womenswear too.

Or you could take cues from Marzia (early love interest of Timothy Chalamet’s Elio), who lives in sweet floral dresses, nautical stripes and denim.

Just add a pair of sneakers and sporty accessories for a look that’s a little bit nostalgic, but perfect for right now.

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19 STYLE

fashion styles. Sometimes matching the same base shade is all you need to connect with each other.

For day events, stick to neutral, coordinating pieces. This could include wearing the same leather biker jacket or the same colour jeans.

Think back to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s 2021 Christmas card, where they featured the family in a pair of stripped-back jeans with mismatched shirts. While this combination may not first strike you as identical pieces, they harmonise effortlessly and allow each other’s individuality.

Other options include a white T-shirt and dark jeans combination, with your partner wearing the same in reverse (white bottoms, black shirt).

The asymmetry will distract the eye from realising it’s a matching outfit, and you can still keep on theme.

Romantic evening outfits

Clothing couple-up Partners dressing alike is a new way to express love, writes Alexandra Feiam

O

ne of the modern ways to share your affection is by wearing matching outfits with your partner, but it’s not always for everyone. If identical dressing sounds a little too extreme for your taste, dip your toes into the water with these subtle matching couple outfit ideas for Valentine’s Day. This trend is nothing new. However, in recent times, it has really taken off in Asia with couples frequently dressing in similar clothes to reflect their loyalty to each other. It

has since gone on to be a common street style trend during fashion weeks around the world, even on the red carpet.

Some of the world’s biggest celebrities have worn similar clothes. From Sonny and Cher, the Beckhams to Brad Pitt, celebrities have sported matching clothes for decades.

Dressing in matching outfits may sound trivial, but it’s essentially identifying yourselves as members of an exclusive club.

There are some misconceptions about couple-dressing in the modern age. While

you may first think of it as dressing identically, this isn’t always the case. There are many small touches you can make that intertwine your ensemble with your significant other, some so subtle that only the pair of you can tell.

Are you and your partner brave enough to give it a try?

Cute, casual daytime outfits Couple-dressing isn’t always filled with bright patterns, wacky suits or unflattering

‘BLOOMING NOW’ STYLE 20

Heading to your favourite restaurant for dinner or perhaps a movie? Depending on the temperature, you can subtly don similar outfits with each other as you celebrate your love.

A little black dress looks fantastic alongside a pair of black trousers and a dark T-shirt or button-down.

Not a fan of wearing the same clothes at all? Have no fear, as accessories are an extra layer that you can incorporate to match your significant other.

Wear a handbag or shoes in the same colour as your partner’s socks or tie. It can be a pattern or block shade, just make sure they’re close enough to avoid any clashing.

At-home outfits There are cute ways of showing your love for each other through your outfit choices, even if you’re spending the night at home.

Try matching tracksuits or pyjamas for a fun and cute twist on the couple outfit trend.

Brands like Nike and Adidas now offer unisex pieces that you wear together, so there’s no need to steal your man’s hoodie.

Of course, no one else will know you’re wearing the same clothing unless you take a selfie and post it on your social platforms.

Bonus points if you dress your pet in a similar outfit, too!

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Leanne Gillam Your investment

Sales Agent Ph 0400 968 319

OUR

Priority

Karen Griffiths Senior Property Manager Ph 0456 463 145

Sold

LET HELEN AUSTIN PROPERTY HELP YOU Early signs of 2023 indicate that the Toowoomba property market continues to buck the trend and is still performing exceptionally well.

If you are thinking about selling or wanting an idea of where your property sits in today’s market, please give us a call today. We would love to have a chat about how we can help you and how Helen Austin Property can get the best result for you.

We were very lucky to enlist Helen and Hannah to sell our home.

They were a formidable team who took the time to get to know us and make us feel confident and comfortable with the whole process. Professional, experienced and very knowledgeable about the Toowoomba market, they took a holistic approach and gave invaluable advice on preparing our home for listing and selling.

Helen and Hannah had a team of professional contractors on call to assist with all our needs - tradesmen for repairs, stylists for advising and staging, photographers for marketing - all executed with minute precision and attention to detail. Throughout the experience, they kept us updated every step of the way, and we couldn’t have been any happier with the final outcome.

Seller – Redwood We recently sold our house with Helen Austin Property and found both Helen and Hannah both excellent to deal with and always ready to give an honest answer, which is clearly based on years of experience. If you are considering selling your house and was wondering who to go with, we would definitely recommend Helen and Hannah as a dedicated team who’s individual experience in the field complement each other, delivering a level of service that sets them apart from their competitors. Thanks so much for all that you did.

Seller – Middle Ridge

helen austin 0439 962 801 helen@helenaustinproperty.com.au Hannah Johnson 0432 993 243 hannah@helenaustinproperty.com.au helenaustinproperty.com.au

beauty

Owner of a lonely heart?

If being alone this Valentine’s Day worries you, try some self care, writes Alexandra Feiam

2 Watch your favourite TV show We all have a TV show that falls under the ‘guilty pleasure’ category.

Whether it’s Emily in Paris, Twin Peaks or White Lotus, make yourself comfortable on the couch and reconnect with your favourite characters.

Are TV shows not your thing? Grab the popcorn and complete a movie marathon, or grab the new book on your shelf and snuggle in for an evening of escaping into a different world.

F

illed with love, chocolates and candlelit dinners, Valentine’s Day is often associated with couples and romantic connections.

But who said that was the way it had to be?

There are plenty of reasons why you could be by yourself on February 14 – whether it’s a break-up, work commitments or a longdistance relationship.

Who said you had to dedicate the day to someone else? It’s time to take time out and devote the evening to you alone.

After all, isn’t the day all about celebrating love? Self-care is a subjective activity, and there are no rules when it comes to taking care of yourself.

Here are fun ways to spend the day dedicated to yourself, no matter what your relationship status.

3 Go on a date for one

1 Run a bubble bath Baths are a great way to relax at the end of the day. Fill your tub with your favourite scents, oils or bubble bars. You can light a few candles or play some music, too – set the mood for relaxation.

You could even throw in some rose petals or flowers from your garden. However, be sure to remove them before you drain the bath. Otherwise, you may end up blocking the drains and damaging your pipes in the long run.

Eating alone can be a big deal for many, and it’s easy to see why.

While it may seem like a scary concept to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a restaurant alone, there’s no better time to give it a go.

Going on a solo date is a great way to treat yourself and dedicate time to enjoying everything around you.

Absorb the restaurant atmosphere and enjoy the food you may not normally try.

And don’t forget to go all out for dessert!

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wellness

Robbie Witt donating to St Vincent's Toowoomba Hospital over the years.

Gift that keeps on giving Real estate agent Robbie reaches $50,000 in donations to paediatric ward

S

ince 2015, Robbie Witt from NGU Real Estate Toowoomba has been donating $200 from every property sale he makes to the St Vincent’s paediatric ward, St Gabriel’s.

His December donation brought the total amount donated to more than $50,000.

The funds donated have been used to

Is your child experiencing any one of the following?

• • • • •

Hearing Problems?

Ear Infections or Pain?

Snoring?

A Blocked Nose?

Tonsillitis?

STYLE 24

purchase items including a medical trolley for baby scales, otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes, a resuscitation manikin, a paediatric treatment bed, a vital signs monitor and toys.

Robbie and his family have a special connection to St Vincent’s, with his wife Shannon working as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit. Robbie and his three

children were also born at the hospital. We are proud to provide healthcare to generations of Darling Downs families.

St Vincent’s are very grateful to Robbie for his ongoing support and dedication.

The items purchased have greatly assisted with the care of the little ones in St Gabriel’s, and even brought a smile to their faces.

St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba

EAR, NOSE & THROAT SERVICES Children can struggle at school when conditions go undiagnosed. See your GP and ask for a referral to a St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba ENT Specialist.

BREAKAWAY RESPITE - YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME Breakaway Toowoomba Inc. (Breakaway) has been operating as a local disability support service for over 36 years in Toowoomba. We provide services to people of all ages including people with intellectual or physical disability and people with mental health conditions. We offer flexibility with bespoke client-centred supports tailored to meet your and your family needs.

Breakaway’s mission is to deliver professional support services that enables autonomy for you and your family through co-designed goals to live your best life on your terms. Breakaway: • • •

is family-focused and recognises the rights of all people to have their needs met in a dignified and respected manner is flexible in support that is provided to be able to change as your needs change throughout the lifespan consults with you and those important to you, affording you the opportunity to participate actively in making decisions that affect your life

The respite facility, Breakaway on Bridge, affectionately known as BoB, is located on Bridge Street, Wilsonton. It is an impressive purpose built 5-bedroom facility featuring 1 ensuited bedroom and another 4 bedrooms with shared fully accessible bathroom. It has a spacious kitchen, dining room, games area and media room overlooking the back garden. We provide long-term and short-term respite, including emergency respite and support to people with high and complex disability and health conditions.

BoB has an additional private self-contained 2 bedroom ensuited unit attached to the main building. It has a separate entrance, lounge, kitchen area and outdoor area. This unit is great

for children and adults requiring specific supports where one to one support is required for people with high and complex needs.

Staff support you to get involved in the community, participating in activities of your choosing and encourage socialising. Your package can include all meals, domestic assistance, assistance with personal care, daily living support, accessing the community and social activities.

Please feel free to call our friendly team and book an in-person tour of Breakaway on Bridge. Alternatively, you can take a virtual tour which is available on the website: www.breakawaytmba.org/respite Also, did you know that Breakaway provide social group dinner outings on Friday every week which supports you to attend and engage with new people and become more independent and have a great experience while you stay at respite.

Need to access funding through the NDIS and not sure where to start? Breakaway provides free assistance to help you through the process. We help you to check: • • • • •

your potential NDIS eligibility gather relevant documentation to support your access request discuss your disability related needs for required assessments and reports assist to fill out NDIS forms and submit your application to the NDIS and track its progress until you receive an outcome

Breakaway Toowoomba, 3 Bell Street, Toowoomba

(07) 4639 5100

|

|

info@breakawaytmba.org

www.breakawaytmba.org

wellness

advertising feature

Haematologists Dr Joel Collins (left) and Dr Marcus Dickey (right) of Toowoomba Haematology.

Are you iron deficient?

Toowoomba Haematology open access iron and anaemia clinic is improving quality of life for Toowoomba and Darling Downs locals

T

oowoomba Haematology has been operating an open access iron infusion service which has grown rapidly over the past two years.

Iron-related disorders (iron deficiency and iron overload) are some of the most common blood disorders affecting the Australian population. Iron deficiency can affect all ages, but women and children are predominantly affected. A local study revealed that 80 per cent of pregnant women are iron deficient, with emerging evidence revealing several possible adverse pregnancy and childhood outcomes for these women and their families.

Iron deficiency affects quality of life with issues including tiredness, headaches, restless legs, poor exercise tolerance and

concentration. Iron deficient children can experience issues with school and learning as well as behavioural issues.

Treatment options include oral iron supplementation and intravenous iron infusion. Oral iron is successful for many, but some patients can experience negative side effects from oral iron such as nausea and constipation. Other patients have significant symptoms with their iron deficiency, and oral iron is less ideal for these patients due to the time needed to correct the deficiency when oral iron is used.

Iron (intravenous) infusion can rapidly correct iron deficiency in patients unable to take, or who do not respond to iron tablets.

The iron infusion process is quick and very

safe, with time taken from clinic check-in to home typically being less than an hour.

Patients do not require private health insurance to access the service in the rooms of Toowoomba Haematology. Insured patients can be catered for in the St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital Day Unit. The iron infusion clinic is a rapid access service, with urgent iron infusion appointments available within 72 hours in most cases. This is a referred service, and patients will need to discuss their iron needs and appropriateness of the service with their general practitioner.

For further information, please contact Toowoomba Haematology on (07) 4646 3237 or reception@toowoomba haematology.com

How it works

Toowoomba Haematology anaemia and iron service features: ● Patients do not require private health insurance ● Medicare rebate available (with valid referral) with a very reasonable out of pocket cost ● Rapid access (within 72h for urgent patients) ● Service run by specialist nurses and haematologist ● Available to all ages (age under 12 case-by-case basis) and pregnant women

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wellness

When love is in the air …

The five things you need to know to prepare for pregnancy

consideration. A preconception health check should include both parents, and includes any underlying health concerns, dental check, weight, diet and exercise.

“All prescription medication needs to be reviewed as to whether it is safe for pregnancy and women may want to involve a gynaecology check depending on any concerns that they may have,” Ms Wilkes adds.

Most parents also consider and take supplements for the period leading up to a pregnancy with recommendations depending on individual needs.

“See your GP, or health practitioner, to get more information about what is important for you.”

4

Choose healthy habits: “Smoking, drug use and alcohol are all things that need to be considered by both mum and dad heading into pregnancy and with a new baby,” she said. “Quitline and other resources are freely available and can be a bit help if you are needing to curb some habits.”

Many other habits, such as sleep, considering what you do as individuals and as a couple and exercise plans, can be also very useful to consider.

“Couples who work long hours or who game a lot also need to consider the impact of a baby on these habits. Even things such as hobbies and sport that take up time, should be talked about and considered.”

M

idwives always talk about the tsunami of births that follow nine months after special times like Christmas and New Year.

In 2022 the Toowoomba My Midwives practice experienced its largest flood of births nine months after Valentines Day with 16 births in six days.

This makes us think deeply about what are important plans when considering a pregnancy and what you should do in the lead up to ‘trying’ for a baby.

Liz Wilkes, managing director of My Midwives, lists her five key aspects to preparing for pregnancy.

1

Relationship 101: There is no doubt that having a baby puts pressure like no other on relationships. Therefore, having a solid relationship is the best place to start when thinking about pregnancy.

Many, many couples often have a baby, or have another baby, thinking it will help.

The opposite is nearly always the truth though.

“If there are any storms on the horizon, having some counselling and working through issues in advance of a pregnancy is really important,” Ms Wilkes states.

“Communication is the key and honest conversations about all the deeper detail around parenting is super critical.”

2

Review your finances: “It isn’t so much the expense of having a baby, although there are significant ongoing costs, it is about the time off work and/or childcare ongoing that is the crunch factor,” indicates Ms Wilkes.

“While both parents contribute, lots of this falls to one parent and it is usually the woman or person who has the baby.”

The costs that need to be considered include health care and pregnancy care, gear such as beds, clothes, prams or carriers and nappies.

3

Check your health: The underlying health of both parents is an important

5

Think about work: Your workplace can also be a source of challenge when planning a pregnancy.

From working in industries that have hazards such as chemicals or industries which have a heavy toll from standing on your feet all day to heavy lifting, it is important to consider whether you can adapt your work to fit pregnancy and parenting.

And then …

Finally doing your research about what to do ‘next’. “Consider what you want from pregnancy care early and reach out and review a few options.

“That way you will have a number to call when you get the news and will feel more confident and in control if you have a Valentine’s Day pregnancy.”

Midwifery Continuity of Care for pregnancy, birth and 6 weeks postnatal Meeting the maternity needs of women and their families across the Darling Downs!

29 Hill Street, Toowoomba | 07 4642 2977 | admin@mymidwives.com.au | www.mymidwives.com.au STYLE 28

wellness

Small habits for big changes Micro-efforts you can make each day will refresh, reset and uplift every aspect of your life, writes Jo Power

E

ver wake up and think, “I could really go for a life transformation today”? No? Same. Life transformation talk is all fun and games until three minutes later when you remember you have exactly zero spare time and no idea where to begin.

Let’s tackle the former first. People talk about making time, finding time, buying time. They’re all about YOU doing what YOU want to time. Time is yours for the taking, the finding, the buying! You can mould your time into whatever you want and wield it however you see fit.

Now that you know you’re a supreme being with the ability to bend time to your will, let’s figure out where to start. One thing you absolutely should not start with is the big picture. The big picture is stunning, glorious, breathtaking – but it’s abstract.

And that’s where micro-efforts come in.

Micro-efforts are tiny changes that add up to big changes. Research shows that about 40 per cent of the things you do every day are habits. So, there are plenty of opportunities to make 10 micro-efforts a solid part of your day, every day.

that if you make your bed each morning, you’re almost 20% more likely to have a better sleep every night. If it still seems like it’s not worth it, set a timer then make your bed. You might be surprised to find that it literally takes 90 seconds. 90 seconds of effort for a chance you’ll sleep better? Yes, please.

6 Say hello to someone you love You’ve probably got 15 text conversations on the go at any given time. But if there’s someone on your mind that you haven’t spoken to lately, say hello. You don’t have to include an opener or even any questions – just a quick message to say you’re thinking of them. There’s nothing like the warm fuzzy feeling of human connection.

7 Give away 20 minutes Before you baulk at that, remember – you are time’s overlord and every moment is your devoted servant. Whether it’s 20 minutes of attentive play with your kids or a conversation of mostly listening rather than talking, giving your time to someone else is a wonderful way to break up your day and refresh your mindset.

1 Chuck one thing a day

3 Eat four colours

Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be an epic event. Spread it out and tone it down by putting one thing into a “give away box” every day. Some days it might be something big, but most days it will probably be something tiny like that third pencil sharpener you really don’t need.

Fresh fruit and veg always make the list of life-changers. They always have and they always will because there’s truly nothing better for your body.

This micro-effort is easy: If you had carrots with lunch, go for something green with dinner.

If blueberries were part of your morning smoothie, chuck some red berries in with your lunch for dessert. Aim for a minimum of four different colours each day.

2 Carve out a cuppa break Take a real break. Every single day. Fix yourself a cup of tea and actually rest while you sip your way through it. Flip through a magazine, do a little sketch of whatever’s in front of you or just think.

4 Drink more you-know-what Is water having a moment? It seems like

water’s having a moment. And there’s no liquid more deserving of the spotlight.

Dehydration actually makes it harder for your organs to do their jobs, which drains your energy. If you’re slightly dehydrated on the reg, you might think how you feel is normal – but you’ll see how much better you can feel when you get enough water into you.

5 Be a square and make your bed Sure, it’s just going to sit there all day not being used. Unless you’re an Insta influencer whose home must be photo-ready at a moment’s notice, what’s the point? The National Sleep Foundation in the US found

8 Smash some mirror star jumps This is a double whammy day starter. After you’ve gotten up and made your bed, head to the nearest mirror. Then go ahead and do 20 star jumps right there in front of it. The burst of physical activity will be super-energising and a great habit on its own. So why the mirror? It’ll force you to start your day with a smile.

9 Reflect like a gosh dang guru At the end of each day, write down your three favourite things that happened. The things that come to mind may give you a clue about how to have a better day, every day.

Holistic continuative care in all areas of Women’s Health including Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Physiotherapy.

Caring for women through all stages of their life’s journey.

Dr Matthew Stinson, Dr Christina Stevenson & Dr David Chettle

At Evolve Women’s Health your needs come first Find us on Facebook or call our office for an appointment.

P: (07) 4688 5533 www.evolvewomenshealth.com.au | St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Toowoomba 29 STYLE

food

Spoil your Valentine French toast with yoghurt sorbet Serves 6 Prep 50 mins Cook 6 hrs Ingredients ● 150g unsalted butter, chopped ● 450g piece brioche, crusts removed, cut into 2cm pieces ● 250ml (1 cup) milk ● 3 eggs ● 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped ● 110g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp, extra ● Fresh berries, to serve Yoghurt sorbet ● 300ml water ● 150g caster sugar ● 150g liquid glucose ● 750g Greek-style yoghurt Coulis ● 100g fresh strawberries ● 100g fresh raspberries ● 100g fresh blackberries ● 100g fresh blueberries ● 200ml light red wine (such as pinot noir) ● 50g caster sugar ● 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped Method Step 1 For the sorbet, place water, sugar and glucose in a saucepan over medium heat.

Slowly bring to the boil, stirring, until glucose dissolves and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a large jug. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill.

Step 2 Place the yoghurt in a large bowl. Whisk in the cold syrup and pour into an ice-cream machine. Churn following the manufacturer’s directions. Freeze until required.

Step 3 For the coulis, place half the berries in a

“Pain perdu is the original French toast.

I promise, it will be love at first bite!”

Manu Feildel large bowl. Crush with a fork. Add remaining berries, red wine, sugar and vanilla seeds.

Set aside, stirring occasionally, for two hours to macerate. Process in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until required.

Step 4 Meanwhile, melt 50g butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add half the brioche and cook, stirring, for two to three minutes or

Just three in gredien ts

until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 50g butter and remaining brioche.

Step 5 Line a 1L (4 cup) loaf pan or terrine mould with baking paper. Arrange brioche in pan. Combine the milk, eggs, vanilla seeds and 75g caster sugar in a jug. Pour over the brioche. Set aside for 10 minutes to soak.

Step 6 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced.

Bake brioche mixture for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with extra 1 tbsp sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, until top is golden.

Set aside to cool. Cover and place in the fridge for two hours to set.

Step 7 Remove French toast from pan.

Cut into six slices. Melt remaining 50g butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add remaining 35g sugar.

Cook French toast, in three batches, for one to two minutes each side or until golden.

Step 8 Divide the French toast among serving plates. Serve with a scoop of sorbet, a drizzle of coulis and fresh berries.

Recipe notes You can make this recipe to the end of step six a day ahead. Just before serving, fry the French toast, add sorbet and coulis, then sit back and enjoy this beautiful brekky or dessert.

The coulis can be made with frozen berries. Thaw in a glass or ceramic bowl before using.

You can use a full-bodied red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon, in the coulis for a ballsy flavour that accentuates the dark fruit.

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Champagne passion cocktail Serves 4 Prep 1 min

Strawberry bites

Method Step 1 Combine the passionfruit and sugar in a jug and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Step 2 Pour the sparkling wine among the serving glasses. Spoon over the passionfruit mixture and serve.

Oysters with beurre blanc

Blue cheese, prosciutto and rocket bruschetta Ingredients ● 4 thick slices wood-fired bread ● 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil ● 1 garlic clove, halved ● 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ● ½ tsp brown sugar ● 80g wild rocket leaves ● 4 slices prosciutto ● 120g blue cheese, crumbled ● 10 walnut halves, lightly toasted

Ingredients ● 100g slab dark chocolate (we used 70% dark) ● 10 strawberries, hulled ● 200g dark chocolate, melted Method Step 1 Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place 100g bar of chocolate upside down on a wire rack set over the prepared tray. Top with strawberries.

Step 2 Pour over melted dark chocolate to coat, allowing the excess to drip off.

Step 3 Set aside for three hours or until set.

Ingredients ● 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh passionfruit pulp ● 2 tsp caster sugar ● 375ml (1 1/2 cups) chilled sparkling wine

Serves 2 Prep 10 mins Cook 2 mins

Makes 10 Prep 5 mins Cooling 3 hours

Method Step 1 Brush bread with one tablespoon olive oil, and chargrill or grill for one minute until golden. Turn over and cook for another minute, then rub one side with garlic.

Step 2 Place remaining oil, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl, season and whisk to combine.

Toss the rocket with half the dressing.

Step 3 Top each slice of bread with a slice of prosciutto and rocket. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts, drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.

Serves 2 Prep 15 mins Cook 35 mins Ingredients ● 1 cup (250ml) Champagne or sparkling white wine ● 2 eschalots, finely chopped ● 200g chilled unsalted butter, chopped ● ¼ cup (60ml) thickened cream ● 1 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks ● 1 celery stalk, cut into thin matchsticks ● 2 spring onions, cut into thin matchsticks ● Rock salt, to line ● 12 freshly shucked oysters ● Black sea salt or rock salt, to serve Method Step 1 Preheat the oven to 150C. Step 2 Place Champagne and eschalot in a small pan over low heat and simmer until reduced by three-quarters.

Whisking constantly, add butter, one piece at a time, then whisk in cream. Season. Keep warm.

Step 3 Blanch vegetables for 30 seconds in boiling salted water. Drain, refresh in cold water. Pat dry .

Step 4 Line a baking tray with rock salt, add oysters and warm in the oven for five minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with black sea salt, top with vegetables and serve with beurre blanc, sprinkled with sea salt.

Watch on demand 31 STYLE

food

It’s not too late for a date If you haven’t booked yet for Valentine’s Day, never fear – try these romantic dinner winners

D

id you leave your Valentine’s Day date night planning to the last minute and need some inspiration of where to go with your love?

Don’t worry, we have you covered here at Style with some of our favourite date night locations.

Note: at time of writing all of these venues had availability for both lunch and dinner reservations for Valentine’s Day.

Kuro Beko Duggan Lane, Grand Central Shopping Centre Toowoomba’s newest modern Japanese restaurant, Kuro Beko offers delectable Japanese meals with something for everyone to enjoy.

The restaurant opened in September 2022, and is building a following thanks to its expert chef and customer service staff.

Open: Monday to Saturday, lunch – 11.30am2pm; dinner – 5pm-9pm

The Rock

Bergen between Annand and Ruthven Streets, Walton Stores This modern Australian restaurant is giving Toowoomba residents a casual dining experience with high quality, seasonal meals.

Headed by renowned Toowoomba chef, Clayton Costigan, Bergen offers delicious food, exceptional service and good vibes in Toowoomba’s CBD. Open: Tuesday to Saturday, lunch – noon to 2pm; dinner – 6pm to 8pm

El Attar Middle Eastern Grill 34A Neil Street That’s a hearty Egyptian welcome to El Attar

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Competition closes 26 March 2023.

WWW.THEROCKPUB.COM.AU | 520 RUTHVEN STREET, TOOWOOMBA

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Middle Eastern Grill. Here you will find authentic Middle Eastern cuisine right in Toowoomba’s CBD. We aim to provide fresh and wholesome meals with friendly and efficient service.

Try the juicy marinated shish kebabs, the traditional street food koshari or the fresh and crunchy falafel, served with our delicious sauces and soft, freshly-cooked flatbread.

Open: Monday to Saturday, 11am to late; Sunday, 4pm to late

520-526 Ruthven Street (at The Oaks Hotel) The Rock Toowoomba is your one-stop shop for Valentine’s Day romance, whether you are happily coupled up or single and looking to meet someone new.

Downstairs in The Rock restaurant is the place to be if you’re all loved up, with a set menu package.

For $95 per person, you and your significant other can enjoy a delicious three-course meal (entree, main and dessert), plus a complementary glass of sparking wine on arrival for each of you.

And with two seatings, 5.30pm and

8pm, there is plenty of opportunity to celebrate your love.

For singles, the Top Bar is the place to be to meet new people and have some fun.

This ticketed event will include canapes and drinks on arrival with giveaways, games and live music to create a fun, no-pressure environment.

The fun kicks off at 6pm and tickets will be $65 each.

Info: To find out more or book your spot, either as a couple in the restaurant or buy your ticket for singles night go to www.therockpub.com.au.

INSIDE: The Leg Vein Doctor Darling Downs Radiology Toowoomba Friendly Society Artisan Aesthetic Clinics Life Without Barriers TASC National Toowoomba Regional Council Sionna Lifestyle Brodribb Home

&

Health wellness guide 33 STYLE

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Stop the scratch

S

ummer can be a very irritating time of year for those who suffer from itchy legs. A lessor known symptom of venous disease is a condition is called stasis dermatitis, or varicose eczema. It can present initially with flaky dry skin but can progress on to red, blistery plaques and skin

colour changes.

Varicose eczema occurs because of venous insufficiency – which is the veins not doing the job they are supposed to and returning blood back upwards.

Increased pressure caused by the pooling blood can cause fluid to leak into

surrounding tissue. The immune system reacts to this, causing the skin to flare up.

Varicose eczema can be treated in a number of ways: ● Compression stockings help to improve circulation in the leg and so relieve symptoms. They also prevent scratching, which can lead to cuts on the skin that might ulcerate. ● Use an unperfumed moisturising cream twice a day to keep skin smooth and soft. ● Topical steroids can be prescribed to reduce skin inflammation over the course of

a few weeks.

These options will provide some relief, however in order to eliminate venous eczema the varicose veins will need to be treated. The good news is that improvement can be seen and felt on the legs very soon after treatment.

The Leg Vein Doctor’s books are open for initial consultations.

Please contact Kellie and Beni, their knowledgeable medical receptionists, on 3720 9912 or email info@thelegveindoctor.com for more information.

What Do We Treat?

● Varicose Veins and Venous Ulcers ● Vein Recurrence Post Surgery ● Spider Veins

Why Choose The Leg Vein Doctor?

● Modern non-surgical techniques. ● Minimal discomfort during procedures. ● No post-operative downtime. ● Personalised treatment plans with no hidden costs. ● Treatments available in Toowoomba and Brisbane. ● Experienced in offering full aftercare to rural and remote patients. ● Ultrasound examination included at initial consultation. ● Dr Kemp is a Phlebologist - we only treats leg veins.

Lady aged 46 years with varicose veins in the left leg.

Cause is great saphenous vein reflux.

Treatment: Endovenous laser ablation and Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy - Appearance at six months.

Phone: 3720 9912

Email: info@thelegveindoctor.com Website: www.thelegveindoctor.com STYLE 34

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Committed to health Patients are at the heart of wellbeing at Darling Downs Radiology

F

or more than 15 strong years, healthcare professionals and the surrounding Darling Downs community have relied on Darling Downs Radiology to provide state-of-the-art medical imaging services and the highest level of patient care.

Providing fully comprehensive advanced diagnostic imaging to the Toowoomba community, Darling Downs Radiology offers general and dental x-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, mammography, nuclear medicine, bone mineral densitometry (DEXA) and a full range of interventional procedures.

Incorporated within this suite of services are two Medicare fully-licenced MRI scanners offered at the one location. This provides increased availability for patients and extended trading hours with before- and after- work appointments available.

Cutting edge software technology together

with the wide bore patient-friendly design, allows for shorter MRI scanning times and increased comfort during exams. Darling Downs Radiology is committed to keeping medical costs down for the community and offer bulk-billed MRI scans for concession and pension card holders when Medicare criteria is met.

Darling Downs Radiology is also focused

on meeting the unique health care needs of women by providing specialised diagnostic medical imaging, performed by an exceptionally skilled team in a professional and caring environment.

Services offered to the women of the community encompass general ultrasound including pelvic and breast imaging, a complete suite of obstetric imaging, DEXA

and body composition scanning, breast MRI, and interventional procedures including FNA and biopsy. State-of-the-art 3D breast mammography completes the specialised services and provides superior breast imaging quality using low dose technology and a unique ergonomic design for patient comfort. All mammograms at Darling Downs Radiology are reviewed by two specially trained breast radiologists to improve early breast cancer detection.

Darling Downs Radiology strives for excellence through innovation, patient care, medical leadership, and a patient first approach. Radiologist and clinic director Dr Sally Sojan leads a compassionate team of highly trained healthcare professionals who pride themselves on providing the highest level of care.

Darling Downs Radiology remains the preferred diagnostic imaging provider in the Toowoomba region and is part of the South Coast Radiology group, the largest imaging provider in Southeast Queensland, and Integral Diagnostics, a leading provider of quality diagnostic imaging throughout Australia.

Dr Sally Sojan Nuclear Medicine Radiologist Darling Downs Radiology

PART OF THE SOUTH COAST RADIOLOGY GROUP

PROUDLY SERVICING THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 15 YEARS 70 Neil Street, Toowoomba

Monday to Friday 7am - 5pm • MRI extended hours Free easy access parking • Bulk Billing available Xray • Dental Xray • CT • CT Calcium Scoring • CT Coronary Angiogram • Nuclear Medicine Myocardial Perfusion Scanning • Ultrasound • Obstetric Ultrasound • Vascular Ultrasound Echocardiography • Mammography • Bone Mineral Densitometry • MRI • Work Cover Body Composition Scanning • Interventional Radiology

FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL 1300 197 297 35 STYLE

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A friendly pharmacy W

hen you think of a pharmacy, often the first thing that comes to mind is a place to pick up prescriptions or buy multivitamins, but Toowoomba Friendly Society Dispensary is so much more than that.

Olivia Smoothy, the pharmacy’s NDIS and aged care manager, sees it as a place people can seek support for just about any health or lifestyle issue they might be having in a completely judgment-free, professional way.

As part of her role, Mrs Smoothy works

with people on a range of health issues and said some people would live in discomfort for extended periods due to embarrassment, but would always be pleasantly surprised with how the professional staff at the pharmacy could help them manage their conditions.

One such condition is incontinence, a little-talked about ailment affecting a surprising cross section of the community, and with the impressive range of products and supports now available, could be managed effectively to improve the customer’s quality of life dramatically.

People can drop in to see the friendly and professionally trained staff, undertake a Continence and Community Health Assessment, receive support to access NDIS funding, see a registered nurse or receive help with better product management.

“Incontinence is a very taboo subject, but not in here,” Mrs Smoothy said.

“All of our staff are highly trained, and it’s just as well talked about and tolerated here as diabetes, asthma, medication or anything else. It’s a health condition the same as any other.

“Once people come in and see how relaxed we are they often relax a lot more themselves.

“We’re here to get customers back to doing what they were doing before with confidence and dignity.”

She said there were now products for different situations, so staff could help people with a gender-specific product specifically to go out shopping or golfing, which might again be different to a product designed for them to take a five-hour car trip or social outing.

A trip to the beach or the pool could be done stress-free for adults and children alike with the pharmacy’s range of incontinence swimwear.

They even provide a service to have regular Bonds underwear converted to manage incontinence, helping all incontinence sufferers to become more comfortable and sustainable, and help younger people maintain dignity during sleepovers and school camps.

Mrs Smoothy said while people may be tempted to just reach for supermarket products, a trip to the Friendlies was worth it.

“It’s really tailored here,” she said. “We ask what activities people have been doing, what

they have used so far, provide customers with products to try over the weekend and most of the time they come back for more.

“We also have all the waterproof bedding products and a skincare range for incontinence-associated dermatitis.”

Even people looking to use the pharmacy’s most basic function, filling prescriptions, comes with a difference at Friendlies.

The business operates on a pharmacist forward model, where you are greeted by a pharmacist both when you drop off your script and when you pick up your medications, giving you every possible opportunity to discuss any concerns you have or things you need to know.

People can have a medication review undertaken, have medications they are unsure about explained to them, access Webster packs and other dose administration aids and arrange staged supply for high risk or controlled medications with minimal fee.

Another flagship service for the Friendlies is the mobility showroom, aimed squarely at helping customers to improve their independence. Whether you are recuperating from illness, living with a disability, or just finding everyday tasks more difficult as you age, a chat with mobility specialist Michael Codyre will point you in the right direction.

Even if an in-person visit is too challenging, the Friendlies have you covered.

“We can come to you. If you live in Toowoomba or surrounding areas, please call us and we can arrange an in-home consultation,” he said.

“We regularly travel out into the region as part of our Mobility Roadshow.

“If you live outside of Toowoomba and are interested in the products we offer, please contact us.”

The trusted Toowoomba business has operated in some form in Toowoomba for well over a century, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t moved with the times.

The pharmacy supports the Med Advisor app, which can help you to manage medication safely, record your prescriptions and allow you to order repeat prescriptions with a tap so you can pick them up at a convenient time.

Even if you don’t have the time or ability to come in and pick up your medication, the pharmacy offers a delivery service.

To find out more about the huge range of services and products on offer, drop in at 8 Mylne St, Toowoomba, call 4637 1888 or visit tfsd.com.au.

37 STYLE

Join the Empower Care family and improve your quality of life

At Empower Care, we’re on a mission to change lives for the better. We look at what we do here as an opportunity to serve − to go the extra mile.

We are a different kind of Disability Provider.

Community is what drives us−it’s what makes us thrive. We’re here to make a difference in the lives of the people we support each day.

Contact us to see how we can help provide quality care and support for you.

• • • •

Supported Independent Living Community Participation Support Coordination Employment opportunities

We offer you more choices, and help you to achieve greater independence.

EMPOWER CARE admin@empowercare.com.au careers@empowercare.com.au www.empowercare.com.au

1300 195 625

Suite 1/15 Blake Street Wilsonton Q 4350

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Good skin for life

G

ood skin isn’t something money can easily buy, so looking after it properly is an investment, Sheridan Hunt believes.

Ms Hunt is clinic manager for the newlyopened Artisan Aesthetic Clinic in Margaret St and is looking forward to helping Toowoomba residents address concerns about their skin and protect it for the years ahead. Among a growing sea of cosmetic and wellness brands, she believes Artisan has the edge because every client receives a bespoke treatment tailored to their personal concerns.

“We take a holistic approach to all our treatments – focusing on repairing, restoring and protecting skin,” Ms Hunt said.

“We refuse to cut corners by offering a one-

size fits all approach. We take the time to delve deeper to truly understand our clients’ needs and goals, and build tailored treatment plans to help achieve their goals.

“We offer premium cosmetic injectables, advanced laser and light treatments, medical grade facials, ThermageFLX skin tightening and biostimulator treatments.”

The clinic is operated by a team of highly experienced cosmetic nurses, dermal therapists and a cosmetic doctor, all of whom pride themselves on working closely with their clients to develop tailored treatment plans.

A highly experienced clinician will analyse your skin, discuss your medical history, skin goals and develop a personalised treatment plan that combines in-clinic treatments with at-home skincare products.

Ms Hunt said recent trends showed people were really starting to see their skin as something to display, not cover up.

“This year we’re seeing our clients looking for fresh, luminous, even skin which means they don’t need to cover up their skin with expensive makeup,” she said.

“Some skin can be like a dirty window where the light can’t reflect off it.

“Unwanted pigmentation and redness from broken capillaries alter the light reflection and make your skin look dull.

“2023 will be all about the skin – removing the pigment through advanced medicalgrade skin lasers making us feel more confident to wear less makeup.”

Artisan Aesthetic Clinic, located at 131 Margaret St, is offering $75 off your first treatment.

Book your complimentary consultation online at artisanclinics.com, phone 4639 1250, or pop in to meet the lovely staff and tour the clinic

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health & wellness guide

Keeping your kids active Win the back to school lunch box battles

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ith school back in full swing, children are busy keeping their minds active.

But due to the long periods of sitting at desks, they’re also likely to have reduced levels of exercise.

To help keep your kids healthy, it’s always best to get involved and encourage your children to increase their activity.

What to put in the kids’ lunch boxes is another dilemma that plagues parents, as they face more than 200 school lunches throughout the year.

The Heart Foundation has some easy tips for keeping your child’s lunch box nutritious and getting young people outside and active.

Top 10 ideas 1. Pick a day you can walk to/from school together — even consider parking the car a

little further from the school and walk.

2. Cut up food so it is easy for little fingers to eat.

3. Select comfortable school shoes that are great for walking, running and playing.

4. Dairy food is a great snack — choose reduced fat cheese or a tub of yoghurt.

5. Find some time to do some ‘free range’ activities like exploring your neighbourhood.

6. Include a frozen water bottle — it will help keep lunch cool and provides an icy cold drink.

7. Plan a quick play at the local park on free afternoons.

8. Plan ahead to avoid grabbing prepackaged foods and involve the kids too.

9. Join your children in an after school swim, ball game, hopscotch or skip.

10. Use a good lunch box that insulates well and use ice bricks.

Aged Care Services

Getting started

At Life Without Barriers, our Aged Care Services can help you maintain your freedom and independence at home.

Home Care Packages

The support we provide is tailored to meet your individual needs and our caring staff can assist you in choosing the services you need, when you need them.

• •

We offer a range of services in Toowoomba and surrounds including:

• • • • • •

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Cleaning and household tasks Garden maintenance and modifications Home modifications and maintenance Daily living and life tasks Companionship, community and social support Personal care and mobile services Therapeutic and clinical care Respite care

It’s easy! Simply contact us today to find out more and we’ll provide you with the guidance you need.

T: 1800 792 359 E: agedcareenquiries@lwb.org.au w: lwb.org.au

Care for you, designed by you

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Prevent elder abuse TASC providing legal support for over 65s

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lder abuse is a difficult topic to talk about, but with one in six Australians over 65 reporting an experience of elder abuse in a recent survey, it’s a conversation we need to have.

According to Kym Allen, who manages the seniors legal and advice support service for TASC, a Toowoomba based legal and social justice centre, there are many reasons why elder abuse is difficult to talk about, including shame, fear or embarrassment.

“An older person may not view some types of behaviour as abuse, particularly where it is psychological,” she said.

“They may not want to risk losing relationships or antagonising already strained family dynamics, or may be worried speaking out will affect their care arrangements, level of independence and way of life.

Elder abuse can take many forms,

Legal and Social Justice Services

and the National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study conducted in 2020 was segmented into five key areas: financial, psychological, neglect, physical and sexual abuse.

Psychological abuse is the most common form of abuse reported, with 12 per cent of the people surveyed having experienced it.

Psychological abuse is when mental anguish is inflicted and involves actions that cause fear of violence, isolation, deprivation and feelings of shame, indignity and powerlessness. Examples can include verbal intimidation, humiliation, threats of institutionalisation or withholding affection such as refusing access to grandchildren and removal of decision-making powers.

The good news is there are strategies to help prevent elder abuse.

“As people get older we encourage them to plan for their future while

they are healthy and independent,” she said.

Key strategies also include: staying socially connected, avoiding making important decisions following a significant life event, taking time and measures to make well-informed decisions, asking for help to understand all legal documents before signing, and maintaining control of your finances or assets while you are able to manage them.

“Growing older is something we’ll only navigate once in our lives, so being unsure of what to do in different situations is completely normal,” Ms Allen said. “So, if you’re in doubt or something doesn’t seem quite right please talk to someone you can trust.”

TASC’s seniors legal and support service is free for anyone over 65 years old, and over 50 years old for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

TASC’s seniors legal and support service solicitor Kim Raine and manager Kym Allen at the Toowoomba Seniors Expo. The service aims to help seniors who may be experiencing elder abuse or those looking for financial advice.

FREE SENIORS LEGAL AND SUPPORT SERVICE Are you or someone you know experiencing elder abuse, mistreatment or financial exploitation?

Call TASC on 07 4616 9700.

This free service is available to anyone aged over 60 years and First Nations people aged over 50 years.

Our services include: • • • • •

Social worker and Legal support Safety planning

Short term counselling Advocacy

Information, referrals and education.

Elder abuse is not limited to physical harm or violence. It can include: • • •

Being yelled at, threatened, intimidated or belittled Threats of being relocated or moved into aged care Misuse of a power of attorney.

Scan our QR code to learn more about our services.

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Start your journey to a healthier

you

Visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/change

TRC_Stylemag_FP_ChangeProject_0123

Free and low-cost health and wellbeing activities.

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Get fit with The Change Project

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hether you are aged seven or 70, there is no excuse to be feeling unfit or unhealthy with Toowoomba Regional Council’s award-winning Change Project.

Nearly 30 years ago, Barry Hermann had hit his 40s and wasn’t feeling his best.

After a huge bus trip down to Adelaide, he returned to discover he had his first case of deep vein thrombosis, with his second occurring not long after.

“My doctor suggested I get involved in a cardio rehab project at St Andrew’s Hospital, so I went through some exercise and discovered how unfit I really was,” Mr Herrmann said.

“I started walking to work and getting more fit and someone in the cardio group mentioned that there was a walking group at Grand Central that met each week, so I got involved.”

That walking group folded when Grand Central was refurbished, so these days Mr Hermann runs his own through the Change Project, meeting twice per week at Laurel Bank for a 6.30am walk, rain, hail, or shine.

Another Grand Central walking group has restarted, meeting at 7.30am on Wednesday mornings and culminating with a nice chat and a coffee, but Mr Hermann said the earlier starts suit him better.

And that, he believes, is the beauty of the Change Project.

Whether you are young or old, working or retired, fit or unfit, there is an activity somewhere across the region waiting for you to discover it on your fitness and wellbeing journey.

It wasn’t the end of his health troubles, with a pulmonary embolism taking the wind out of his sails about 20 years ago, but these days he is approaching his mid-70s and believes his fitness journey has played a big part in his quality of life.

He said people of all ages were welcome to come along to join his group and either begin or continue their fitness journey.

“With our group a lot of members are elderly, with probably about half a dozen of us being pretty ‘up there’ with our fitness,” he said.

“Most of our walkers are pretty accommodating and we have one group that walks around the outside of the park about two and a half times, while the other group tends to stick to the paths inside the park and stops to smell the roses.”

He said anyone of any age was welcome to join the group.

People looking to find ways to improve their health and lifestyle can find a huge

range of groups and activities to participate in all across the Toowoomba region simply by visiting www.tr.qld.gov.au/change.

The website contains an impressive array of exercise groups, nutrition classes, bootcamps, kids’ classes, dance activities, sporting groups, cycling groups and gardening groups – basically everything you need to turn your life and fitness around no matter your age or interests.

There are also links and resources including videos, websites and guides on how to do health and nutrition activities at home, look after mental health, find the region’s beautiful walking trails and how to grow your own food.

Many of the activities and resources are free, and all of them fit under the banner of low cost as a way of ensuring all Toowoomba Region residents have the opportunity to be their best selves.

Toowoomba Regional Council healthy living and active recreation officer Meghan Wilson said participants loved the versatile program for a huge range of reasons.

“There are many reasons to get involved that the Change Project participants often speak of, including making lifelong friendships, motivation to exercise in a group and be held accountable,” she said.

“They also often comment that they love having access to low cost yet experienced trainers who are community minded, full of passion and just love giving back, and most of all getting to watch not only their physical health transform but their confidence and mental health too.”

People can sign up for Change Project activities or find out more by visiting www.tr.qld.gov.au/change.

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Embrace the benefits of yoga

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oga has long been lauded for its health benefits which include improving posture, reducing stress, calming the mind, decreasing anxiety, increasing confidence and motivation, and enjoying a sense of community and belonging with like-minded people.

The hatha yoga style practised at Sionna Yoga is a gentle style focusing on breath, flexibility, strength, balance and relaxation.

Classes incorporate mindfulness, meditation and gratitude practices allowing students to take what they learn ‘off the mat and into the world’. A regular practice can improve strength, stamina, flexibility, range of motion, and balance; reduce stress; promote mental calm; and provide many other therapeutic benefits as well.

Sionna Yoga is led by Shannon Townsend, who has been mentored by Toowoomba Yoga identity Lesleigh Camm; Shannon also holds degrees in human movements and leisure management, and is studying positive psychology and wellbeing.

“I love sharing the practice of yoga with our community. My favourite part is seeing the

peaceful, happy faces after each class,” Shannon says.

With a range of class times held at the conveniently-located inner city Redeemer Church hall on Annand St, there is a time to suit most schedules.

Students say that the Sionna Yoga lessons are vital to them living their best lives. New students wishing to try a class are welcomed for a free trial.

“Yoga classes keep me sane! Relaxation removes stress and worries, stretching keeps me mobile, and camaraderie lifts my spirits.

Love it all,” one student says.

“I am a long-time yoga student with Shannon and love her classes! I am a runner so the early morning class is good for recovery along with all the other benefits of yoga,” another says.

“Since beginning yoga, my physical and

psychological wellbeing has improved tremendously. I now have flexibility, strength, motivation and confidence to handle anything life throws at me. I particularly enjoy the fellowship with other like-minded participants of my classes.”

For more information or to book your spot in one of the Sionna Yoga classes phone Shannon on 0428 540 739 or email sionnalifestyle@gmail.com

Term 1: 16 January to 30 March Monday 6pm Tuesday 9:30am Wednesday 5:30pm Thursday 6:15am Thursday 1pm

Flexibility Strength Balance Mindfulness Meditation Relaxation Community Casual $20 I Upfront (11 wks) $165

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0428 540 739 shannon@sionna.com.au lesleighsyogaclasses.com.au Redeemer Hall, Annand St, Toowoomba City

health & wellness guide

Keeping active in a busy life Prioritise your health and wellbeing to support your lifestyle

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veryone thinks about how much they need to exercise, how they would look if they were to actually begin exercising, and how much they really want to have the body of Miranda Kerr or John Cena.

However, many people still seem to remain tucked up under a blanket watching Netflix.

Let’s be real — not everyone loves exercise.

However, staying fit and well is vital. Here are some tips to keep healthy with a busy lifestyle.

Don’t underestimate the power of intensity Slugging through hours of gym isn’t necessary.

Have a look into exercise activities that are intense but effective such as a quick ten-

minute cardio workout such as CrossFit or circuit workout.

Get an exercise buddy and make it a priority If it has been a very long and tiring day, it can be easy to put off that workout for another day. However, if someone else is in a similar situation, there is an opportunity to motivate each other.

This could be as easy as going for a 30minute walk together with your children in prams.

When leading a busy and stressful life, exercise is fantastic for your mental health and spending time with your loved ones while exercising is a perfect combination.

Embrace the opportunity to meal prep When everyone is going a million miles an hour all day every day, it can be easy to get a greasy take-out meal.

Allocate an hour to cook every single week, where you make one massive meal and put it into set portions in takeaway containers, and freeze.

Mind your mouth Know the tips and tricks to make sure your teeth last a whole lifetime

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ost people might be shocked to learn they’re not cleaning their teeth properly.

But, how this could be (considering you’ve been brushing your teeth for many years and should have the finer points down by now)?

Here are some things to think about:

Brushing often You should brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes.

But did you know you shouldn’t leave a gap of more than 12 hours between brushes?

This is because of the rate at which mouth bacteria matures — at around 12 hours old, the bacteria in your mouth starts to damage your teeth and should be removed.

You should also floss at least once a day (preferably at night) and visit your dentist every six months for an examination and professional cleaning.

The right toothbrush According to an analysis of 56 studies

published in 2014 by the international research organisation Cochrane, electric toothbrushes do have an edge over their manual counterparts.

After three months of use, electric toothbrushes were found to reduce dental plaque by 21 per cent and gingivitis by 11 per cent more than manual toothbrushes.

Whether you opt for manual or electric, though, you should swap your toothbrush (or its head) every three months.

All-important fluoride Fluoride reduces the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth and strengthens the enamel of your teeth, which prevents tooth decay. Although fluoride is a mineral found everywhere in nature, including your water and food, your teeth do need more fluoride than can be found naturally.

You should use toothpaste with a fluoride content of at least 1350 to 1500 parts per million (ppm F) for effective protection.

The fluoride count of your toothpaste can be found either on the box or tube as one of the ingredients.

It’s also important to note that you should not rinse your mouth after brushing — this gets rid of the fluoride — but should merely spit it out, leaving a protective layer behind.

Aged care you can trust… In your home or ours.

Retirement Village Units in the heart of Toowoomba City • A mix of fully self-contained one, two and three bedroom units • Available for immediate occupancy is a very spacious fully self-contained one bedroom unit − option of Ingoing Contribution of $235,000, or terms similar to a long term rental agreement (eligible for Centrelink Rent Assistance) • Lovely Community Centre with regular activities • Very close to Laurel Bank Park & Grand Central • Government subsidised Home Care Packages available at no cost to full aged pensioners • Co-located next to our Residential Aged Care Facility (Nursing Home)

Here for you if your care needs change.

Our Village Residents are prioritised for Home Care or Residential Placement should the need arise.

For more information, please contact us: 212 Herries St, Toowoomba P (07) 4602 0290 | E homecareadmin@brodhome.org.au 45 STYLE

home & living

6

lot to like about that, but maintaining living plants and flowers can be a lot of work – especially if you haven’t got a green thumb.

“There is no doubt that fresh florals and greenery bring a beautiful touch to your interiors, but let’s be honest, those things die,” says Amanda Munn from homewares store Hali Home. “Modern artificial plants, if you invest in quality ones, look extremely realistic and are a great option for those of us who can’t always keep plants alive … or if you have your heart set on a variety that is tricky to maintain.”

interior design rules to break

4 Don’t buy furniture sets

Zara O’Hare is a British interior design consultant who specialises in rugs and home decor. She says this year is all about mixing vintage and modern design elements to add character to homes while creating balance.

“Forget about matching furniture sets,” she says. “Instead, mix and match different styles and colours. This will help give your room a collected, curated feel – it’s much more desirable than a flat-packed look.”

5 Don’t stick to symmetry

When it comes to interior design in 2023, just loosen up, writes Kirrily Schwarz

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one is the decorative baggage of sticking to neutral tones, focusing on one pattern at a time, and making sure everything matches.

Life is messy and modern design is about having fun and celebrating uniqueness.

Here are six design trends experts say we should leave behind.

1 Don’t colour in the lines

Dulux trend forecaster Bree Leech says it’s time to welcome in a little joy and the best way to do that is by putting colour in unexpected places, injecting energy into your

home with bright hues and fun patterns.

“The element of surprise can be a powerful decorating tool,” she says.

“Consider adding colour to your ceiling, timber window frames, door edges, or the back of shelves. And be bold with patterns – have fun combining thick or thin stripes, geometrics, oversized floral prints and more all in the one space.”

2Don’t declutter (too much)

A minimalist aesthetic is still very popular, but interior designer Rebecca Dunn from Brisbane-based Plantation Homes says

don’t declutter to the point that your house looks like a sterile display home.

“Your home should reflect your passions and interests,” she says.

“Express your personality throughout the space. Avoid mass produced designs and use decor items that are handmade by artisans; or use special treasures you’ve found on holiday. Items don’t need to be perfect – the more unique, the better.”

3 Don’t stress about greenery

The last few years have seen many people embrace indoor pot plants. There’s a

Speaking of furniture, Helen Armstrong from Australian-owned e-commerce retailer Apsley says you shouldn’t be afraid to go big – even in small rooms – and prioritise asymmetry to create a sense of space.

“Choosing one or two statement pieces of furniture will not only enhance the look of a room, but actually make it look bigger because it has a focus,” she explains, adding that empty space can also enhance a room.

6 Don’t copy everyone else

Mixing finishes such as wood, ceramic and stone is popular as people bring elements of the outdoors into their homes.

However, Haymes Paint colour and concept manager Wendy Rennie says it’s time to evolve.

“Mixing finishes has become widespread, overexposed, and homogenous,” she says.

“Selecting industrial finishes such as cement and steel can elevate a modern home and bring maturity to spaces.”

Modern design is playful and personalised, focused on creating spaces that make us feel good. If you’re wanting to take a risk and make a change, it’s time.

MAKE EVERY DAY TASTE BETTER! Transform your weeknight dinners with the new range of Taste meal kits, inspired by our most popular recipes on taste.com.au

E XC LUS I V E LY AT STYLE 46

SCAN TO SHOP

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Why a bad tenant is bad news

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Ros Burton, Principal – The Real Estate People, addresses a common fear of landlords

enants will wreck my rental property”. It’s a common fear we hear regularly from landlords.

Wild parties, holes punched in the walls and appliances being deliberately damaged DO happen – but not as regularly as you might think.

The ‘tenants from hell’ horror stories on current affair programs prompt outrage and make shocking viewing, but they are the extreme, not the norm.

Sure, there are bad eggs in the rental pool.

There are bad eggs throughout society … and they do the wrong thing. That’s why landlord insurance is imperative to protect an owner’s most valuable asset, but that’s where a good property manager (committed to regular, documented inspections) can also ease any worries.

As well as protecting the property from damage, an experienced property manager can also allay a landlord’s second biggest fear – a tenant ‘doing a runner’.

Again, it happens, but a good manager is constantly monitoring a landlord’s portfolio

and they will see a potential problem arising and can address it before it becomes a nightmare. But rather than focus on a small element of troublemakers, let’s remember the vast majority of tenants genuinely appreciate the opportunity to rent a property.

They may be saving for their own place, they may have recently moved to town and haven’t bought yet, or they may have decided that buying isn’t for them and they want the security of having a comfortable roof over their head (without the intimidating mortgage that goes with it).

They look after the property, often treating it as their own. With a landlord’s permission we’ve seen beautiful gardens added, barbecue areas created, or renovations undertaken – to the direct benefit of both parties.

These are the tenants we (and the landlords) love … and they’re most definitely out there. We meet them every day.

You just need a property manager you can trust to thoroughly vet prospective tenants to ensure your next one is a ‘keeper’ and not tomorrow’s headlines.

Landlords… does your property manager offer: 9 Detailed routine inspection reports every 3 months 9 Tenants paying water consumption 9 One on one communication 9 Market appraisal at every lease renewal 9 Flexibility with chosen trades

If not, then it’s time for you to get a new property manager.

Looking after your investment shouldn’t be ‘set and forget’.

What is important to you is important to us, so call us today and see how easy it is to make the change.

289 Herries St, Toowoomba 07 4633 8899 (just up from Glennie School)

www.therealestatepeople.com.au 47 STYLE

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In good hands Briese Lawyers helps local seniors embrace the journey to retirement

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or many people the thought of transitioning into retirement and moving into the next phase of their life is emotional and stressful.

A great way to overcome that and embrace the journey ahead is to explore the many choices available.

Briese Lawyers principal Kym Briese has proudly supported the senior community in the region by offering free events like Maintaining Choice in Your Senior Years and attending as a guest speaker for various community groups and seniors expos. Kym not only shares her knowledge in length about legal matters, she also encourages her clients to share their story and leave behind a legacy.

Kym and her experienced team focus on assisting clients with personal legal issues in

such areas as personal and business estate planning, estate administration, succession planning, conveyancing, and commercial and family law.

Having started her legal career in 1990, Kym’s extensive experience and intricate knowledge of legal processes allows her to offer advice that is realistic, practical and solution-focused.

Kym’s passion for people and healthy relationships sees the team adopt a holistic approach with clients. Her goal is to empower clients to choose the best processes and outcomes to resolve the issues they face, while minimising cost and delays.

The Briese Lawyers team pride themselves on a can-do approach that gets results, but in the process, they are determined to provide understanding, support and advice that is appropriate to your matter.

The unique team of people have been carefully chosen to ensure the highest quality of legal service, professionalism and client care which is based on a value system of ethics, integrity and camaraderie with each other and their clients – we are in this together.

Principal Kym Briese

ESTATE PLANNING Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Advanced Health Directives, Testamentary Trusts ESTATE ADMINISTRATION Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration & General Estate Administration FAMILY LAW Property & Parenting, Child Support, Divorce CONVEYANCING Residential Sales & Purchases, Off the Plan Contracts COMMERCIAL & PROPERTY LAW Retirement Village Purchases, Rural Sales & Purchases, Commercial Sales & Purchases, Guarantor Advice, Asset Protection & Structuring, Family Related Transfers Telephone: 07 4638 4833 Email: reception@brieselawyers.com.au www.brieselawyers.com.au 303 Margaret Street, Toowoomba STYLE 48

Caring Professional

Kym Briese, Solicitor Principal

DESIGNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE A couple of years ago in Style, we ran an article focussing on the importance of designing homes to suit whichever climate zone you live in.

Australia has eight climate zones and 69 regional subzones — all defined by the National Construction Code (NCC).

In our local region we have three distinct climate zones. The Toowoomba region is in Climate Zone 5 (warm temperate — needing both heating and cooling) the Lockyer region is in Climate Zone 2 (warm humid summer, mild winter — needing mainly cooling) and out on the Western Downs, it is Climate Zone 3 (hot dry summer, warm winter — mostly cooling), so if you want to minimise your ongoing household running expenses, we need to design with different priorities in mind to suit these diverse climates.

According to the NCC, each of these climate zones require different design and construction strategies to capitalise on sustainable efficiencies. Your local climate will dictate your heating and cooling needs and thus the most effective and cost-efficient design approaches.

So, while our local zones are quite diverse in climate, generally the fundamental aspects of good home design do not change in these three distinctive zones.

However, it is important to appreciate these codes have been based on what has been the fairly reliable weather patterns of the past, but this appears to be changing before our very eyes — Sydney and Victoria have experienced their coolest and wettest Spring since records began in 1858!

While we understand these cycles mostly come and go as part of ‘normal’ weather patterns, no-one can predict their precise timing, or more critically, how extreme they will be.

And just to add another spin to the weather roulette wheel, according to the World Meteorological Organisation, the past eight years have been the warmest on record — at least 1C above the pre-industrial levels of 1850-1900. And the easing of the current La Nina effect is likely to be replaced with the drier, warmer El Nino.

Regardless of any preconceived or favoured views on

‘climate change’, wisdom would dictate that any new home should be built with ‘plenty of scope to more than cope’ with whatever extremes of weather blow against you. Because, it seems, EXTREME is the one thing we can now be sure of, and therefore should do our best to prepare for.

The good news here is that — our normal building processes and practices are already designed to exceed what we currently call extreme. And we’re not talking about having to build you a ‘Fort Knox’ or a Hobbit-hole.

There are still lots of relatively simple, costeffective processes to implement in a new build that won’t cost the earth (literally), and are designed to generate the easy-living home environment you expect — not just for today, but well into a possibly very erratic future.

For a start, we will meet you on your proposed block, before you even sign up, to advise on its suitability, for all blocks are not equal. Some will be cheaper to build efficiently on, and others will just be nightmares of extra expense for you!

We already meet (and usually exceed) the recommended insulation in ceilings and walls. As just one example, our recommendation is for low U value glazing and the use of low SHGC glazing. We advise avoiding the overuse of glazing because of its easy heat transference just when you don’t want it, plus having ceiling fans in all living and sleeping areas and reducing the air infiltration in your home.

For long-term cost saving after you’ve built, ‘design for climate’ requires the use of passive design principles, along

with energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and, most importantly, energy-efficient behaviour by the occupants.

If you would like to know more, simply arrange a time to visit me at my Design Centre at 20 Stradbroke Street, Toowoomba.

— Geoff Gibson

Smart Design... Smarter Living.

Geoff Gibson 0407 965 261

facebook.com/geoffgibsonhomes

geoffgibsonhomes

DESIGN CENTRE: 20 Stradbroke St, Toowoomba (Off North St) | Office phone: 07 4634 4550 QBCC 100 5734 | www.geoffgibsonhomes.com.au | geoff@geoffgibsonhomes.com.au

education

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A pathway into Wine and Tourism

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ear 12 graduate Rohan McKerrow has the green light for a successful career in wine and tourism in our region. With a strong focus on nurturing individual pathways for our seniors, we couldn’t wait to sit down with Rohan and chat about the expanding opportunities presented to him.

When did you start school at Mary MacKillop Catholic College?

I commenced my schooling with Mary MacKillop in Year 5 in 2015.

What is your ATAR score?

After graduating I received an ATAR score of 64.45. This score allowed me to gain entry to university within Wine Science.

You’ve got a number of opportunities open to you right now – what are they and what are your plans?

Having received multiple university offers in two diverse fields of study it allowed me to stop and reflect on what I really wanted to do.

Just before going into my external exams, I received an offer for a Bachelor of

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International Business through Flinders University in South Australia. Weeks after graduating, I received an offer for a Bachelor of Science majoring in Wine Science through the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). I am planning on taking a gap year working with Rosalie House cellar door restaurant and taking up a full time job with Southern Queensland Country Tourism. I then plan on commencing studies with UniSQ in 2024.

What got you interested in the pathway of wine science?

Going into Year 11 I was adamant that I wanted to pursue a career in corporate law, however, in March that year I was offered a Certificate III in Hospitality Traineeship with Rosalie House cellar door restaurant. During my employment I was granted many opportunities within the working vineyard.

How did Mary Mackillop Catholic College support you in making this decision?

The college’s Pathway Team helped in providing support with gaining connections

within the industry as well as providing both in-school support and even continuing support after graduating. Furthermore, they were instrumental in assisting me throughout the traineeship to ensure that all requirements were met and that my schoolwork was not impacted.

You’ve also been offered a job in a similar industry to your study options – tell us more about this great opportunity, what you’ll be doing and how it came about?

My employment with Rosalie House has been crucial in developing my ideal career as well as gain first-hand industry experience.

Within the vineyard I was involved with the grape harvest and other key stages of the vines. I have also been granted the opportunity to spend time with our winemaker assisting with the creation of our wines. In addition to this I am commencing a full-time job as an administration and marketing assistant with Southern Queensland Country Tourism. It’s early days in this job, but I’m really enjoying the opportunities so far.

education

Mates versus soulmates

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Savaira Ratukula looks at the difference between platonic and romantic relationships

enerally, the term soulmate can be used to describe a powerful bond, special affinity or deep understanding between two

people.

While sharing similarities and taking work to maintain, romantic and platonic soulmates are both equally valuable and offer enriching connections.

Over the years, on-screen examples seem to dance on the line that separates the two.

Take Harry and Hermione in Harry Potter, Christina and Meredith in Grey’s Anatomy, or Phoebe and Joey in Friends as examples of platonic soulmates.

These are close friendships with people you trust the most, who you know care about you and sincerely have your best interests in mind.

This platonic love can grow for someone who compliments you in a non-romantic

way. You feel a sense of ease that makes the relationship effortless. You can go through long stretches of time without talking and pick up right where you left off when you come back together.

The relationship is very supportive and you are able to rely on that person through thick and thin.

This support can also help you feel regulated physically and emotionally as their presence offers you a calm and nurtured feeling. You are content just being in each other’s presence.

In addition, the deep connection that platonic soulmates share can come without judgment or criticism.

There is a mutual understanding that allows you to share anything, anytime with each other.

Both platonic and romantic relationships contain intimacy.

For platonic soulmates, intimacy can be centred around a deep emotional, spiritual,

Feeling like your relationship has lost its spark?

Sick of your partner always stealing the covers or snoring all night?

Always going on dates with the wrong person?

You can email your questions in to style@news.com.au – or if you prefer traditional mail, send them to PO Box 40, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350.

experiential or intellectual connection.

While these indicators can also be seen as basic signs of romantic love, platonic love does not mean waiting in hopes for the person to eventually fall in love with you, as they are a non-romantic soulmate.

Holding the same cards, romantic soulmates can also manifest a romantic, passionate and physically intimate connection. On-screen characters like Jim and Pam in The Office, Morticia and Gomez in The Addams Family or Jack and Rose in Titanic embody this connection.

Your thoughts may regularly return to them and you want to spend as much time together as possible. While you can be apart, you prefer being together.

Life can feel more exciting when you are with them as time seems to fly by, and you might notice a renewed energy and interest in your day-to-day activities.

You may also feel safe and trust them enough to show your personal vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

Well, you’re in luck: style magazine is bringing back the love advice page!

Send us your relationship questions and from the February edition our resident love guru will answer them in the magazine.

ask magazine 51 STYLE

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travel

Top End dreaming Exploring The Territory well worth the travel, writes Emily Bosman

W

hile working at Banka Banka, we heard from many travellers about Bitter Springs in the town of Mataranka. We were told about this natural swimming hole that was bright blue and some of the clearest and warmest water they’ve seen in the NT. We were excited to arrive at our caravan park among the tropical trees and spent the afternoon floating with the current in the waterhole.

Our next destination was East Arnhem Land which is situated in the far northeastern end of the Northern Territory.

The region covers an area of 33,310 km and is owned by the traditional owners.

In order to travel through this country, a permit is required and permission from an elder in the area. The permit process was not for the faint hearted – it was a pretty confusing application process but it was worth it all once we received our approval.

The Central Arnhem Road starts just outside Katherine and stretches across 675kms of country. We split this drive up into two days as 99% of the drive was corrugated dirt road with many pot holes and bull dust to watch out for, not to mention there was no signal so that made it a bit nerve wracking.

We finally arrived at the coastal town Nhulunbuy and were so pleasantly surprised.

We spent the next five days camping around the area on the beaches and along the rivers.

We made friends with an awesome Perth

local who took us out on his boat for the morning which was an epic experience. This part of the country is a fisherman’s dream so Glen beyond excited.

The Northern Territory is known for its aboriginal history, national parks and waterfalls. Kakadu National Park is home to the coolest waterfalls and incredible rock paintings that tell many stories about the First Nations people and the way their culture teaches lessons and the way of the land.

Adelaide River is situated just outside the National Park and is the place to go if you want to see 5-6 metre crocodiles in their natural environment.

Being in Darwin was a complete change of pace for us, we weren’t used to the people, the traffic and the noise that cities bring. We went to many night markets, explored the museum, played on the inflatable obstacle course and experienced a local rodeo 40 minutes out of town where a local Toowoomba boy took home first prize.

We had planned to fly home for a wedding so with a few days to kill before our flight we ventured out to Dundee Beach which is one of our favourite camp sites. What made this destination even better was that the camping was free. We spent three days relaxing, fishing, eating and napping which was a great end to our Northern Territory stay.

Once we arrived back to Darwin from our visit back home, we picked up a our new boat and made our way to the border to cross over to Western Australia.

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business

Tiny habits for work happiness

your working life. Waiting for your manager to notice your bulging workload or hoping a colleague will offer to lend a hand, is a fast track to feeling resentful and distracted. Be clear with your leader when you need support, explain your priorities in advance and outline the other tasks that could potentially be picked up by someone else.

Also, make friends. Forming friendships at work can improve your physical and mental health. By interacting and collaborating on projects, asking for opinions or help when stuck on a task and helping others when you can, you guarantee a higher quality of work and have a much better time of things while you’re at it.

Learn how to prioritise properly

Give your focus reserves a boost with these tips, writes Penny Hamilton

helpful things you can do to be happier at work, and give your focus reserves a bit of a boost.

T

Okay that sounds a little flaky but “flow” is actually a recognised state of mind where we feel in total pursuit of what we’re doing, are executing tasks effortlessly, and achieving the peak of our performance. It was discovered by researchers at the University of Chicago, and is something you can work on to strengthen your ability to concentrate.

The best way to get in the flow state is to get more excited about the task at hand and focus all your energy on working on this single thing. Before you begin, visualise the absolute best outcome for that piece of work and all the positive knock on effects it will have; like praise from your boss, a clear workslate or even just something you can really be proud of.

here aren’t many Aussies who would disagree with the sentiment that the past few years have taken everything to do with work and turned it upside down and inside out.

While some of the changes have been amazing – more flexibility to work from home, a much more realistic attitude to people taking sick days, more focus on mental health and support – it’s undeniable that big shifts can be a blow to your concentration.

Many are still trying to find equilibrium and access their pre-pandemic levels of deep focus. Here we look at the legitimately

UAL D I V I D AS IN

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E R A YOU

Respect your flow

NOEW OP N

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Also, pro-tip, listening to pink-noise is an excellent way to block the world out so you can zone in on a project. Pink noise, as opposed to old school white noise, is randomised static which sounds like a combination of the ocean and a TV set.

Know when to hit refresh Whether you’re clocking hours from home or the office, pacing yourself properly helps keep you physically able to do your job well throughout the day. You’ve heard it a thousand times but we’re here to make it a thousand and one: get up, walk around, get outside if you can. This will get your blood moving, help prevent eye strain, and cognitively it helps you reset between tasks.

Team work makes the dream work Knowing when you’re overloaded, and need a few less points on your to-do list, is probably the most important lesson you’ll learn in

Proper preparation is like a gift you give your future self. Declutter your workspace, get a to-do like app like Asana or OmniFocus and learn to identify what’s urgent vs what’s important.

See if you have any tasks that need immediate attention. This is work that, if not completed by the end of the day or in the next several hours, will have serious negative consequences; things like missed deadlines, etc.

High-priority dependencies help you prioritise what you need to do first, and help you order everything else from there out. The double rainbow here is that if you do this enough, this discipline will spill over into your personal life as well.

Make your work, work for you Obviously a good night’s sleep, going easy on the grown-up drinks, exercise and eating as many green things as possible will put you in the best place to focus and make you feel good. But on a purely practical note, you should also make sure that you’re using all of your company benefits, too. One habit to consider is routinely going over your benefits and seeing what’s working for your lifestyle and what needs to be adjusted. Most big companies offer access to things like discounts on gym memberships and private health insurance and other financial perks.

Make sure you’re taking advantage of everything that would benefit you in a positive way, especially any mental health and happiness programs.

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advertising feature

New books celebrate ‘Pubboomba’ Authors explore colourful history of city’s hotels

I

t might be hard to imagine, but some 120 years ago the number of hotels in Toowoomba inspired a local newspaper columnist to dub the city “Pubboomba”.

It was about the time of Federation, when the population of Toowoomba was around 10,000 people, that there were allegedly so many pubs in the city and environs that the satirist (tongue firmly in cheek) proposed that “Pubboomba” would be a more appropriate name.

Though the hotel trade has historically been an important factor in Toowoomba’s development, the number of hostelries the city has supported has regularly been overinflated; as a new two-volume book shows, hotel numbers in Toowoomba reached a peak of 45 between the two World Wars, gradually declining

Daily inspo from those in the know

thereafter to 22 currently.

Bar & Boniface: A Compendium of Toowoomba’s Pubs and Publicans 1844-2020, co-authored by husbandand-wife team Maurice French and Judy Brewer, chronicles those pubs, their predecessors and successors, and the men, women, and families who operated them.

Volume 1, Pubs (Bar), comprises brief histories of 222 hotels, with each entry identifying the hotel’s location and architectural development, listing the licensees, and highlighting significant events associated with the pub. Volume 2, Publicans (Boniface), comprises brief biographies of nearly 1600 publicans – most of them men but about a third of them women – who have poured beers, served food, cleaned bedrooms, and supported sporting and charity events.

The storied careers of this distinctive and often colourful vocational group constitute an instructive cross-section of life in Toowoomba – and Australia.

For, as historian Professor French

says: “Hotels were an early and vital part of the development of towns on the frontier of pastoral and rural Australia, providing their communities with accommodation, food and beverages, meeting venues, entertainment, and social interaction”.

“They were places”, adds Ms Brewer, “that saw brawls and bad behaviour, celebration and conviviality”.

Scattered throughout Bar & Boniface are examples of “Liquor Lore” and “Paracrams” – anecdotes and articles poignant, humorous, and idiosyncratic – about hotel history, pub life, and alcohol consumption.

The books have earned plaudits, with one Toowoomba publican describing them as “a great read”; another saying “the books are a prized possession in our home now”; and, from another reader: “A gem on every page”.

The books, available in hardcover format only, can be purchased direct from the authors at Tabletop Publishing or through Toowoomba Historical Society.

Co-authors Judy Brewer and Maurice French look over Volume 1 of Bar & Boniface: A Compendium of Toowoomba’s Pubs and Publicans 1844-2020.

Good Bones

Home Town

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entertainment

Read...

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross This is one of those books you sink into – and consequently never want to leave.

An incredible debut fantasy with Irish and Celtic vibes, the novel is set on the isle of Cadence where magic still exists and people live alongside the spirits. However, this fragile coexistence is turned on its head when girls start to go missing from the clan in the east.

Clan heiress Adaira knows the spirits will answer to a bard’s music, but the only bard left to study on the mainland a decade ago – and also happens to be her childhood enemy, Jack Tamerlaine. The two must find a way to work together if they’re to find out what happened to the girls, but as they uncover more it becomes apparent that the trouble and secrets run deeper than they knew, threatening upheaval across the entire isle.

A River Enchanted is a perfect blend of cosy read and addictive story, both atmospheric and tense all at once. With the sequel due to publish this month, it’s an ideal time to pick up this great book.

Find the paperback now in bookstores.

Read...

The Bay by Allie Reynolds A gripping thriller that will constantly keep you guessing, The Bay is just the ticket if you like to have your thriller novel with a slight twist.

Mikki and Kenna are on a quest to rekindle their friendship, deciding to take a surfing holiday in Sorrow Bay, totally isolated. Kenna knows that this will be a great place to get back to relaxation and is looking forward to catching up with her friend. However, Mikka has made some new friends who are not as they seem, keeping Kenna on her guard. Is there a darker edge to her friend she never realised?

A complex mystery full of passion, this novel will have you hooked from the start The Bay by Allie Reynolds is available in bookstores now.

Listen...

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara We love the hospitality-focused lens of this audiobook by Eleven Madison Park’s Will Guidara.

At 26, Guidara transformed a struggling brasserie into the world’s best restaurant with a completely OTT approach to hospitality that even saw him surprise a family who had never seen snow with a sledding trip to Central Park after their dinner.

Similarly out-there anecdotes

by American food greats Daniel Boulud and Danny Meyer throughout will leave your jaw on the ground.

Find this audiobook on Audible, Kindle, Kobo, iTunes Store and Google Play Books.

Watch...

The Last of Us Even before the first episode aired in midJanuary, this HBO TV series was receiving high praise from early reviewers and anticipated as one of the best things coming to the screen for 2023. And, surprising for a genre that has a history of making paltry films, the video game adaptation has lived up to the hype.

Told in nine parts, the drama is set in the present day, 20 years after a worldwide pandemic – a fungus-based infection that gets into people’s brains and effectively turns them into zombies that then infect others with their bite – wiped out much of the human population. But this isn’t just another zombie story; much like its video game parent, The Last of Us focuses more on the characters left alive in this post-apocalyptic world.

The main focus is Joel Miller, who survives the harshness of planet earth as a smuggler with his partner Tess, and the 14-year-old Ellie who could be the key to humanity’s future.

Immune to the infection, Ellie has the potential to create a cure or vaccine – but this also puts her in grave danger.

Fans of the video game, film critics, media, and new viewers alike have praised the series highly, declaring it to be almost ‘perfect’. It will be a challenge for any forthcoming game adaptations to come even close to what this series has achieved.

Watch The Last of Us on Binge, with new episodes airing Mondays.

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stars AQUARIUS

somewhere you can meet like minded souls.

Perhaps African Drumming would be great for ridding your inner frustration.

Jan 21-Feb 18

Romance this year will be amazing. You have found your soulmate or one is on the horizon so put those negative thoughts you have back in the corner where they belong. While recent months may not have been smooth sailing in the romance department it is changing for the better. If your new goal in your life is to be as awesome as humanly possible, Aquarius you can do this with ease, just smile and march forward proudly.

LEO

Jul 22 – Aug 22

PISCES

Feb 19-Mar 19 Well Pisces this is the year when your fishbowl may start to crack — there are people around you that are making you feel uncomfortable with your life. A small chip in the glass can rapidly escalate into a large crack where you risk losing everything. Do not fall for old tricks; people will promise the world but rarely deliver. Romance looks rocky, however if you feel comfortable and safe then perhaps it is you that needs to change a little to consider others feelings.

ARIES

Mar 20-Apr 18 Aries do not follow blindly where the rest of the sheep go. It may look greener on the other side of the fence but everyone knows that it is seldom the case.

Romance this year is all about allowing other people in. A wall has built up over time which has prevented love from heading in your direction. Break down the wall, let love in and your entire world will be suddenly much bigger and brighter than ever.

TAURUS

Apr 19-May 20 Taurus, love is more important to you this year as it seems to be perhaps you have forgotten what attracted love into your life. Taking a walk down memory lane is simply letting go to reminisce; this will

AQUARIUS bring back that loving feeling. If single then know that your stubborn side won’t win any favours if you are not willing to compromise. Love takes two to tango and do the dance of love.

GEMINI

May 21 – Jun 20 Gemini is content this year. Life has had some interesting challenges over the past twelve months but never fear love is about to come back with more vigour and passion than ever before. Could it be your chemistry sending out pheromones driving your partner crazy? Is it that you are more content with yourself and where you are in life that is lifting the pressure off? Either way it is a winner.

CANCER

Jun 21-Jul 21 Looking at the moon is not going to bring your Prince Charming, you have to put yourself in positions to meet him. Not everyone is trying to break your heart, there are some genuine people out there that would give anything to be by your side. Take up a dancing class, yoga

Hairy does the Job A Chartered Accountant with a sense of humour

Leos love to love. They are truly an affectionate sign of the Zodiac, provided they are your entire world. Centre of attention is how Leo like to be treated. Laying out on the rug in front of a roaring fire or simply swinging in the breeze on a hammock made for two will suit them just fine. Leo may have made some decisions last year that are sure to grab everyone’s attention. They are at their best when in love but will fall in a heap if the relationship takes a turn for the worse. Ice cream and plenty of TLC.

VIRGO

Aug 23-Sep 23

2023 is going to be a wonderful year for Virgo, so many changes happened last year it will be great to be able to finally see the road ahead is clear of any potholes or landslides. This year you will have so many new adventures to explore it will be hard to know when to commence your journey. In love, I see a flurry of activity especially if looking to add to your family; this may well be the time to relax and take life as it comes. For singles I see someone on the horizon who will fit your needs. Throw caution to the wind.

LIBRA

Sep 23- Oct 22 Life balance swings into action during February as you move into a different cycle. Romance is eagerly awaiting you right around the corner. You may have already met the partner of your dreams and if so lucky you. Love will be intense this year with many surprises along the way. You may be in for a windfall not a huge amount but enough to keep you

going for another year. You have to be in it to win it after all.

SCORPIO

Oct 23-Nov 21 Sexual Goddess, you epitomise the true meaning of love in all of its unbridled passion. If in a relationship already then expect things to heat up even further making this the hottest Summer on record. If single you senses will be tingling a new partner may be approaching, which means plenty of plans and great beginnings. If it’s time to go down the family path again, do it with ease. You positively glow during this time and have the time to spend getting to know your new baby which will probably be a girl. Start choosing those baby names.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22-Dec 21

Sagittarius looking like the cat that got the cream, your love life at present is entering a DO Not Disturb phase so plan plenty of time for date nights they bring so much to a relationship. If you have found your soulmate then this is going to be a great year for planning the perfect engagement or wedding celebration. think a large venue filled with lilies, roses and jasmine. Going to be the biggest function ever just leave the catering to someone else so you can enjoy the night.

CAPRICORN Dec 22-Jan 20

We hear you Capricorn, you have been bleating on for years that love does not come easy. The answer is simple: you both need to work with each other not against each other to be on the same path. Finding the right partner can be frustrating as you do not take fools lightly so if your partner plays mind games or is not willing to commit to working on the relationship then kick them out of the paddock and start looking for another goat to graze with. Remember you can teach an old goat new tricks but make sure they are ready to keep up with your fast pace. — Lunar

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i u q c a J Valentine’s Day Sensations!

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events

toowoomba THE PHOTOGRAPHER: GRAHAM S. BURSTOW 1927-2022 Saturday, January 28 to Sunday, February 26

WHERE: Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery WHAT: ‘Our whole life is enhanced by photography as it teaches us to appreciate our world to the full.’

So said acclaimed Toowoomba-based photographer Graham S. Burstow, staking a grand claim for the medium to which he dedicated his long, rich life. He was a husband, father, singer, traveller, associate and fellow of national and international photographic societies, and much more besides.

Featuring artworks from the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery – Toowoomba City Collection, this exhibition honours and celebrates Burstow the photographer.

He was a foundation member of the Australian Photographic Society in 1962, helped to establish the category ‘Social Documentary’ in Australian photographic exhibitions, and in 2004 received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to photography.

For more than 75 years, Graham S. Burstow was wholeheartedly committed to what he called ‘a complete involvement in the photographic art.’

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery at 531 Ruthven Street is open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am to 3.30pm.

DO I MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE? BY ELISE HEATHER Wednesday, February 8 to Sunday, March 5 WHERE: Rosalie Gallery, Goombungee WHAT: This exhibition explores how the behaviours of the neurodiverse (ASD & ADHD) can be perceived as strange and can generate a feeling of discomfort for the neurotypical person and vice versa.

It is similar to how a strange creature can make you feel slightly uncomfortable by their presence and behaviour.

Join Elise for a Meet the Artist event on Saturday, February 11, 2023, 12.30pm to 3.30pm. It is a free event with no bookings required.

Rosalie Gallery at 89 Mocatta Street, Goombungee is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30am – 3.30pm.

Graham BURSTOW / Queen for a day c.1984 (Paris) / black and white photograph – silver gelatine (resin) / 39.5 x 50.2cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery – Toowoomba City Collection ; Elise Heather LOXLEY | Hang in there 2022 | mixed media | 60 x 25 x 15 © Elise Heather; Ruth Farr Fields of Joy 2022.

LAND OF PLENTY BY PITTSWORTH ART GROUP

Wednesday, February 8 to Sunday, March 5 WHERE: Crows Nest Gallery WHAT: In this exhibition, Pittsworth Arts Group artists highlight the wealth, beauty and diversity of the area where we live.

The artworks are a response to each artist’s interpretation of the title, and where each of us sees beauty or depicts the area where they reside.

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It also displays the talents of the members who meet weekly to learn and enjoy each other’s company, exchanging ideas, techniques, and skills.

The Pittsworth Art Group provides a tightknit, community-based learning hub for all ages.

Crows Nest Gallery is located at the corner

of the New England Highway and William Street, is open from 10.30am to 3.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.

Entry is free at the three galleries.

events

FEBRUARY

TOOWOOMBA REGION SUMMER TUNES 2023

experiences on offer, it is the world’s biggest melon festival, and will celebrate its 15th biannual event in 2023.

The festival has something for everyone with a street parade, beach party, free family activities, festival feasts, farm tours and an arena full of melon related activities to name a few. Visit https://melonfestival.com.au/for more information.

Each weekend in February

Enjoy lazy summer Saturdays with an outing to Toowoomba Regional Council’s (TRC) free 2023 Summer Tunes program across February.

Pack a hamper and a picnic blanket to make a date with friends and family to keep the summer holiday vibes rolling.

GEORGIE CARROLL SISTA FLO 2.0

February 2023 Summer Tunes program: Saturday, February 4, 1pm to 4pm: Ethan Bielefeld, Pioneer Park, Clifton; Blue Room Blues, Memorial Park, Cambooya.

Saturday, February 11, 1pm to 4pm: Andrzej Fenner, Newtown Park, Toowoomba; Stephen Henry Quartet, Picnic Point, Toowoomba.

Saturday, February 18, 1pm to 4pm: Cathy Drummond, Rotary Park, Oakey; The Hobsons, Peacehaven Park, Highfields.

Saturday, February 25, 1pm to 4pm: Slow Train Coming, Bicentennial Park, Southbrook; UnderCover, Centenary Park, Pittsworth.

For more details, visit www.tr.qld.gov.au/ events

DARLING DOWNS POTTERS’ CLUB - BEGINNER HANDBUILDING CLASS

Term 1 starts Wednesday, February 8 from 8.50am to 11am WHERE: Darling Downs Potters’ Club, 145 West Street, Newtown WHAT: Get creative on your Wednesday mornings with the six week Beginners Ceramic

Friday, February 17 at 5pm Handbuilding class.

Come learn some new skills and have fun in the process.

All students recieve tuition from experienced ceramic artists, a 10kg block (aka ‘pug’) of clay, a basic pottery tool kit, glazes and two kiln firings of pieces, with a maximum of six participants in each class.

For more information or to book your spot go to www.toowoombapotters.club/classes/.

Cost is $375 and is fully inclusive of lessons, materials and tools.

CHINCHILLA MELON FESTIVAL Thursday, February 16 at 8am to Sunday, February 19 at 5pm

WHERE: Chinchilla WHAT: Known as the ‘Melon Capital’ of Australia, every two years the thriving Chinchilla community welcomes in excess of 20,000 visitors for the unique, fun-filled and crazy experience of the Chinchilla Melon Festival.

Arguably one of the best festival

WHERE: Empire Church Theatre WHAT: Nurse Georgie is just what the doctor ordered. Winner of ‘Best Comedy Show’ at this year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival and following a sellout season at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, don’t miss Nurse Georgie Carroll as she performs for one night only at Empire Theatre.

Georgie has seen it all and is bringing her hilarious award-winning stand-up to the Empire Theatre for one night only. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll cry, it might even hurt, but it will make you better.

Warning – Rated M. Cost: Adult $49; concession $44; groups 10+ $44. A transaction fee of $5 applies per transaction for phone and internet bookings.

73RD COOYAR SHOW AND CAMPDRAFT

Friday, February 24, and Saturday, February 25 WHERE: Cooyar Showgrounds, Lot 1 CooyarRangemore Road, Cooyar

WHAT: Proudly presented by the Cooyar Agricultural Society Inc, the 73rd Annual Cooyar Show provides locals the opportunity to show off, be it their beef cattle, farm produce, fruit and vegies, cookery, art, photography or how well they handle their chainsaws. And starting on Friday, the annual campdraft will see horsemen and women test their skills.

Entry cost applies.

CONNECT AND LEARN – PERMACULTURE FOR DIFFERENT STAGES OF YOUR LIFE Monday, February 27 , 6.30pm to 8.30pm

WHERE: Level 3 Meeting Rooms, Toowoomba City Library, Corner of Herries and Victoria Streets, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350 WHAT: Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. will present Using Permaculture to Plan for Different Stages of your Life by Meg McGowan.

Meg McGowan believes that permaculture design is an ongoing process, best thought of as a spiral of improvement. In this presentation, Meg will provide an overview of that design spiral and how it has been applied to “Adagio”, the 3.5 - acre site shared with her partner, Graham King.

The presentation will be followed by a light supper (provided) and share table.

Cost is free for financial members and firsttime visitors of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc, and $10 per person for non-members.

Children enter free, but please book in advance for catering purposes.

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event

Jennilea Becker and Victoria Tannock.

Mikaela Joensson, Finn McCoy, Jordan McAlpine, Amy Clunes and Sarah Mountain

scene Jess Parsons and Lisa Horvatic.

King of the Mountain Decked out in their best races finery, crowds gathered at Clifford Park in Toowoomba on December 31, 2022, for the King of the Mountain race day. Taking home the trophy was father-daughter-duo Tony and Maddysen Sears’ Yellow Brick, ridden by Ben Thompson.

Pictures: Nev Madsen

Josh Hey and Rachael Hanrahan

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Rhonda Miller, Yvette Reedy and Judy Campbell.

Chayse Cavanagh, Carla Spies, Hayley White and Todd White

Ava Mills and Ella Fallon

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WHY PEOPLE LOVE

A L O H A

SELLING WITH BENITA PROFESSIONAL. FRIENDLY. EXPERIENCED. First and foremost, I felt Benita was working for me and not just trying to make a sale. She listened to what I wanted and acted upon it with integrity and honesty. The advertising costs were very reasonable.

I thoroughly recommend her as an agent. I will be calling on her expertise in the future.

SELLER, HIGHFIELDS

Benita McMahon REAL ESTATE AGENT STYLE: OLILI

0427 306 970

YOU DESERVE THE ‘EXTRA MILE’ WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME Choosing the right agent to sell your home is an important decision, and at WIRE Property Agents, going the extra mile is part of who we are. As a small boutique real estate agency, when you work with Benita McMahon, you’re dealing directly with one of the agency owners, who has a reputation for offering a friendly,

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stress-free approach to selling your property.

Clients enjoy the support that Benita offers from the initial phone call, right through to settlement. Together with the WIRE Property Agents team, Benita will go the extra mile for you when getting your property ready for sale. This includes organising trades, cleaners, property styling and anything that is required to ensure that your property is looking in the best possible condition when it hits the market. And the best part? WIRE Property Agents provide their ‘Extra Mile

(07) 4698 7111 MAUIJIM.COM

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benita@wireproperty.com.au Shop 1, 2 Highfields Rd, Highfields Q 4352

wireproperty.com.au

SANKEY FRASER | Your One Stop Shop for the last 100 years

Service’ all-inclusive as part of their commission. There are no hidden fees.

With competitive pricing, 110% customer service and an honest, friendly, professional and caring approach, contact Benita McMahon on 0427 306 970 today to arrange a free appraisal of your property.

TOOWOOMBA FEBRUARY 2023

MAGAZINE

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Your local HEALTH & WELLNESS guide

R I E H T E LIV S E V I L T S BE

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Celebrating VALENTINE’S DAY your own way

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