Sunny Coast Times April 2022

FREE

SP

BLE

THI AP

E R I S R E C YC

Artistic vision Meet the volunteer who’s uniting creative spirits across the Coast Pages 8 – 9

PLUS

Our new 8-page health and wellbeing liftout, Holistic

Flood victims

Lest we forget

Raw emotions

LA

SUNNY COAST TIMES

FROM CALOUNDRA TO NOOSA ISSUE #21 April 20 – May 18, 2022

Volunteers to the rescue of turtles in time of need

RAAF veteran looks back for ANZAC Day

New show finds positives in unimaginable tragedy

3

4–5

6–7

FROM THE EDITOR

INSIDE THIS MONTH

BOUND BY IDEALS

FEATURES Turtle saviours

A Published third Wednesday of the month

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING 5499 9049

Editor

Chris Gilmore chris@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

Production/Advertising Manager

Karen Muir production@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

ACCOUNTS

accounts@sunnycoastmedia.com.au www.sunnycoastmedia.com.au Social Media: Sunny Coast Times

@sunnycoasttimes

Po Box 818 MALENY Qld 4552

Owned by Sunny Coast Media 100% local and independent hello@sunnycoastmedia.com.au This paper is printed on recycled paper please continue to recycle

WRITERS Seanna Cronin, Michele Sternberg, Chris Taylor, Craig Ross

3

pril is upon us already, which means the nights are getting cooler and the winter sports are heating up. Easter has been and gone, as have the first lot of school holidays.

It’s also the time of year we stop to commemorate ANZAC Day. I was fortunate enough this month to interview 42-year RAAF veteran Dennis Olsen and ask him about what the day means to him. He told me it’s about reflecting on his own experiences but more importantly remembering those he served with, particularly those who never returned.

It’s a common theme among returned servicemen and women, to recognise those who made such huge sacrifices to protect our way of life. It’s this kind of selflessness that resonates so strongly to this day. The ANZAC ideals of mateship, humour, ingenuity, courage and endurance are what bind us as a community.

You can read Dennis’ story on pages 4-5.

The other event looming large this month is the federal election. We here at the Sunny Coast Times have always tried to steer clear of political issues and focus instead on the feel-good stories out there in the community, but I think it would be remiss to not even mention it.

I urge that people across the Coast – and all of Australia – take the time to learn about what each of the candidates in your electorate stands for. It’s tempting to leave your decision until polling day but we are voting for the people who will shape the direction of our country for the next three years, so it really does matter.

From the team here at the Sunny Coast Times, I hope you enjoy this month’s edition and have a EDITOR happy and healthy April-May.

A life of service

4–5

Overcoming tragedy

6–7

Artistic endeavours

8–9

HOLISTIC Laughter the best medicine

11

Columnists

12 – 13 New approach to healing

14 – 15 Fitness

16

Chris

Kerrie Friend

Gilmore

17

Empowering children

18

100% independently owned: While great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and contents of the publication, the SCT accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views held by the SCT. All content is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission. The production of this FREE newspaper is only made possible by you continuing to support our advertisers.

NATURE

19

COMMUNITY NEWS

Pick-up locations: Pelican Waters News Power Pelican Waters Centre, Espresso Bean There Done That, The Sebel Resort Pelican Waters Caloundra IGA Dicky Beach, Paddington Resort, Golden Beach Newsagents, Rumba Resort, Caloundra Newsagents, Currimundi Woolworths, Oaks Oasis Resort Caloundra, Woolworths Caloundra, Kerry's Corner Shop Caloundra, Foodworks Moffat Beach, Kings Beach Convenience Store, Joe Crew Stormbird Shelly Beach , Seasons IGA Caloundra, Whites IGA Baringa, IGA Little Mountain, Volunteering Sunshine Coast, Caloundra Indoor Bowls, Pacific News Caloundra, Rolling Surf Resort Caloundra, Caloundra Holiday Centre, Coles Caloundra, Currimundi Special School, Inspirations Paint Currimundi Aroona/Meridan Plains/Little Mountain Aldi Meridan Plains, Aroona Foodworks, Churches of Christ Care, Little Mountain Car Cafe, IGA Little Mountain, Wurtulla/Bokarina Friendly Grocer Wurtulla, Wurtulla News, IGA Wurtulla Warana/Kawana Liberty Nicklin Way Kawana, Warana Newsagency - Warana Shopping Village, Foodstore Convenience Store, B Fresh Warana, Shine Birtinya Retirement Village, Jamaica Blue Mooloolaba Fruity Life, House Gryphon Cafe, Woolworths Mountain Creek, Sirocco Mooloolaba, Vogue Newsagents, Cignal News Minyama, Mathis Market Brightwater Buderim/Forest Glen Wirreanda News & Gifts, Zebra Crossing, Fenwicks Fruit & Veg, Buderim Fuel, Kunara Health Store, Mill Rd IGA Buderim, Natures Edge Buderim, Cignal Buderim, Forest Glen Newsagency, Woolworths Buderim, Buderim Travel Sippy Downs Chancellor Newsagent Chancellor Park Nambour Honey and Husk, Hammond Optometry, Mills Street Kitchen & Pantry, Railway News, Coles Nambour, Caltex Nambour Eumundi Eumundi Market entry, Eumundi Post Office, Zealey over-50s Cooroy Cooroy IGA, Cooroy Newsagency, Belvedere News Cooroy, The Shed Cooroy Pomona Pomona Newsagents, Pomona IGA Doonan United Garage Doonan, Fruits of Noosa Doonan Bli Bli Bli Bli Newsagency, Whites IGA Bli Bli Maroochydore Big Top Newsagent, Beach Rd Coffee Co, Cotton Tree Holiday Park, Woolworths Sunshine Plaza, Aldi Maroochydore, Jax Tyres Maroochydore, Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre Mudjimba Mudjimba Beach News, NewsPower, Coles North Shore Marcoola Marcoola News, Sunshine Coast Airport Motel Coolum Coolum Beach News, Whites IGA Mt Coolum, Coolum Park Shopping Centre Woolworths, Rouse Realty, 7-Eleven Coolum Peregian Peregian Springs News, Peregian Springs Coles, Whites IGA Peregian Beach, Peregian Beach News Sunshine Beach Sunshine Beach General Store, Sunshine Beach Realty Noosa Noosa Civic Management, Caltex Garage Noosa Civic, Noosa Village Noosaville, Noosa Fair News, Noosa Aquatic Centre, Noosa Domain Village, Acres Noosa, Belmondos Noosa, Tyrepower Noosa, Noosa Marina, Jax Tyres Noosaville, Noosa Junction News, Harvey Norman Noosaville, Tewantin Newsagency, Parkyn's Hut Information Centre Tewantin, RACQ Noosa, North Shore Kebab, Direct Chemist North Shore

20 – 21

LETTERS, PUZZLES AND POETS’ CORNER

22 – 23

CREATIVE CUTS

24 – 26

CLASSIFIEDS

27

Cover image: Arts Connect Inc president Gretchen Keelty puts the finishing touches on a portrait of Xanthe Coward Image by Travis Macfarlane

Advertise your business in the Sunny Coast Times!

Local, independent publication Distribution Noosa - Caloundra Readership 150,000+ Competitive rates - high ROI

Deadline for the next edition is May 9th

G4

OPEN MORNIN here to Please scan R SPOT K YOU

BOO

www.sun

ld.ed coastcc.q

u.au/ope

Call 5499 9049 or email sales@sunnycoastmedia.com.au 2

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

n-mornin

g

3600 p. (07) 5451 .edu.au uncoastcc.qld Mtn Rds, e. info@s ert & Kiel a. Cnr Schub Woombye

AM

9:00AM - 11:00

2DVLV

&RXU

W &ORQWDUI

0RUD\Þ

HOG 5 RDG 0RUD\ÞHOG

sales@pur esleep.com

.au

.DZDQD +

RPH

www.pure

SUNNY COAST TIMES

&HQWUDO .DZDQD

sleep.com

.au

:D\

Patrick Couper and the TurtleCare team relocating eggs at Warana Beach.

Images courtesy of Sunshine Coast Council and the Queensland Museum

Turtle hatchlings saved from floods

by CHRIS TAYLOR

A

s the recent destructive floods swept through Brisbane, it wasn't just humans urgently needing to move to higher ground. About 80 endangered loggerhead turtle eggs were relocated from an incubator in South Bank’s Queensland Museum to the relative safety of the sand dunes at Warana Beach.

The turtles were due to hatch during the World Science Festival Brisbane in March as part of a popular hatchery research showcase event and then released back into the wild 20km off Mooloolaba into the Australian Eastern Current.

Originally sourced from the Mon Repos turtle rookery in the Bundaberg region, to complete their incubation Queensland Museum senior curator of reptiles and amphibians Patrick Couper made the call to move them back to a natural habitat.

“We returned the eggs to the Sunshine Coast because of the flood impacts that prevented us from delivering the hatchery event,” he says. “There was significant flooding on South Bank, causing the museum to close. There was also the possibility of a power outage shutting down the incubator.

“Returning the eggs to a beach, rather than hatching them in the security of an incubator, is letting nature run its course.”

The hatchery has been a mainstay of the science festival since its inaugural opening in 2016, affording the public a valuable insight into what normally happens 60cm deep within the sand.

Sunshine Coast Council conservation officer Kate Hofmeister said the move was a success thanks to the Warana TurtleCare volunteers who assisted overseeing the hatchings. She says the weather and associated coastal impacts have been the biggest challenges for the Sunshine Coast turtle season this year.

“Thanks to the quick response and dedication of our expert TurtleCare volunteers during all weather – wind, rain or big swells – we were able to give our hatchlings the best chance of making it to the ocean,” she says.

Although Patrick was hugely disappointed the science festival was unable to go ahead this year, he says he is indebted to council and TurtleCare for their help.

“They selected an appropriate site, dug the nests, covered them with protective mesh and monitored them until all the hatchlings had emerged,” he says. “They provided us with a pre-arranged back-up plan if the event was cancelled through unforeseen circumstances.”

He says most of the turtles successfully hatched in line with other loggerhead nests on the Sunshine Coast, making it to the ocean – where their challenge for survival really begins.

Turtle hatchlings inside a transparent incubator at the World Science Festival Brisbane

“Once the turtles leave Australia, it will be 16 years before we see them again,” he says. “Only one in 1000 hatchlings is said to survive to maturity, but the survival rate may be much lower still.”

The hatchery event is designed to educate people on how declining Australian loggerhead turtle populations have now been reversed thanks to conservation, but that many threats remain in the wild, from plastics and chemical pollutions to predation, coastal lighting, ghost nets and other fishing industry hazards.

Your Community Club...

Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Lounge 3 Bars including Sports Bar Courtesy Buses Largest Gaming Room in Noosa, TAB, Keno, Bingo & Promotions Ÿ Free Entertainment Ÿ Bottle Shop Ÿ Fantastic Kid’s Room Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Memorial Avenue, Tewantin Q 4565. Ph: 5447 1766

www.noosarsl.com.au

@noosarsl APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

3

A high-flying career

by CHRIS GILMORE

Dennis Olsen served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 42 years

A

fter a 42-year career with the Royal Australian Air Force, ANZAC Day holds special significance for Alexandra Headland resident Dennis Olsen.

As the April 25 commemoration comes around again, Mr Olsen is taking the time to look back on what the occasion means to him.

“ANZAC Day means to me a reflection on my service days, particularly the men and women I served with during the years of my air force career, and in particular those that have passed away,” he says. “Life’s been a bit generous to me, I’m now 81, but some of my friends didn’t quite last that long and it gives me time to reflect.”

Mr Olsen’s RAAF career started in January 1958 and consisted of 22 years in the permanent air force, 17 years as a full-time active reserve and 2½ years as an officer in cadet training. He says he was inspired to join by his father.

Dennis prepares for service. Historic images from the Australian War Memorial 

“My father worked on aircraft engines during World War II and after the war he worked for Qantas,” he says.

“I was rather impressed by the size of these aircraft engines and I thought ‘there’s a challenge when I leave high school, I’ll see what I can do to make a career out of that’, so I joined the air force and did my training there.”

Over the next four decades he travelled in Australia and internationally with active service, defence training and numerous representational appointments. Although trained as an aircraft maintenance engineer, he spent most of his career flying as a helicopter crewman and then as a flight engineer in the USA, France, Belgium, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

CREATING REAL CONNECTION THROUGH THE POWER OF AMPLIFIED BRANDING

WILLOWS

Customise apparel, merchandise & headwear with your logo / branding! www.willowsbranding.com

BRANDING DIRECTOR KARA EVELYN

TWO SISTERS

FOUNDER NAT KOKO

GUIDING PURPOSE FUELED DRIVEN BRANDS TO BE SEEN, HEARD & FELT ACHIEVED THROUGH APPAREL & HEADWEAR

SCAN TO CONNECT

4

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

“I loved it. I think that this service really shaped who I was as a young man,” he says.

“After doing my ground training working on aircraft, I had the opportunity to apply to fly as a helicopter crewman.

I completed the training there and I was posted to the Malayan jungle squadron based at Butterworth (in Penang, north-west Malaysia).

“As a young, newly graduated aircrewman, I guess one of my career highlights was the work there that I did with the Malayan jungle flying doctor service and the work we did with the Malay army spotting or chasing the remnants of the communist terrorists that were still on the Thai-Malay border at the time (in 1965).

“Another one of the tasks we had was training the Gurkha soldiers at Sungai Petani, which is a town just north of Butterworth, to teach them the basics of helicopter operations, with the Gurkhas actually being infantry-type people. There were lots of little jobs like that that I was involved with on numerous occasions that made life flying with the helicopters very enjoyable, challenging and very satisfying.

“From there I went to Vietnam and my career went on after I got back from Vietnam.

Some of my friends didn’t of course – I was one of the lucky ones – but the work I did in the jungle with the flying doctor service was probably the highlight of my career.

“In Vietnam I was an aircrewman gunner in the back of the helicopter, involved in the helicopter war. Our purpose was to provide transport for the army, provide medical evacuation and supply and ammunition drop wherever the army wanted it, and of course to work with the SAS (Special Air Service), which was always quite an interesting job. There was more involvement with the enemy and more shooting involved when you were working with the SAS, they were in the thick of things.”

During his career Mr Olsen secured several awards and decorations including a battlefield mention in despatch award in Vietnam in 1966, an operational command commendation and an Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 1994. He says the OAM “came out of the blue, quite unexpected”.

“Through a strange series of events, after my flying days I went across to defence public relations and spent about 15 years taking the air force to the taxpayers of Australia by way of exhibitions,” he says. “My boss in Canberra directed

Dennis flew in helicopters for many years

Dennis on duty

me and I put together an air force display of engineering interests, like an engine and avionics, to show the public that though it was peacetime, the air force was advancing in technology and aircraft were being modernised. I basically got the Order of Australia for that. Plus I spent about five years teaching at a training school for non-commissioned air crew, I seemed to have done a good job there.”

His job did also bring other perks over the years, recalling one story from 1968.

“I was in charge of the non-commissioned airmen air crew school in Canberra at the time, away a lot helping to train the army in helicopter operations,” he says. “The commanding officer called me into his office and he said, ‘Sergeant, I’d like you to go away on another trip on behalf of the squadron.’ I never knocked back a trip – if it was a necessary task that had to be done I always went – but I said to him this time, ‘I’ve been away a lot, I’d like to spend a few days at home with my family.’ I’d only just come back from a week at Cultana (a defence training area in South Australia).

He interrupted me before I could finish and said, ‘Look, I better tell you where I want you to go before you knock this trip back. I want you to go to Paris.’ I said, ‘Paris? Like Paris, France?’ He said, ‘Yes. How does 2½ weeks over there sound?’

I said, ‘Pretty good!’”

The trip was part of an invitation from the French government to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the cease of hostilities in World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Mr Olsen represented Australia, in particular the air

force, at Amiens, Villers-Bretonneux, Paris and various other functions.

“It was another very special time in my life that I was very thankful for – and it was all at government expense!” he laughs.

Just as Mr Olsen, a father of three, was inspired to join the service by his dad, his eldest son has been in the air force for nearly 30 years, working as a loadmaster with the squadron at Amberley.

“He’s made a career of the air force, pretty much the same as what I did,” Mr Olsen says. “Whereas I was more on the technical side of things, which gave me the opportunity to advance to flight engineer, he is a loadmaster on the bigger aircraft.

“I’m very proud of him. He’s been here, there and everywhere.”

Shortly after retirement, health issues became a concern and the option of independent, supported living attracted Mr Olsen to Bolton Clarke’s Tantula Rise retirement community at Alexandra Headland. It was a homecoming of sorts, having attended primary school at Mooloolaba before his parents moved to Brisbane, where he did high school and then joined the air force.

“The very house my father built for my mother is only about a kilometre away from where I am living now,” he says.

“With sand, sea and sunshine close by, the move to the Sunshine Coast was an easy decision to make. The friendship and security provided by the Tantula Rise community has

gone a long way in providing a comfortable lifestyle as I move further into my senior years where further medical support will be needed.”

Mr Olsen will join the ANZAC Day commemorations at Tantula Rise, where he has been living since it opened 14 years ago.

“I used to just go to a local service at the nearest RSL club but now that I live here at Tantula Rise I go to the service that’s put together here,” he says. “It’s a combined independent living and nursing home service that’s held on the premises. Most of the residents here don’t have a service background but there are four of us here and they all go to the service that’s held here on the grounds.”

Looking back, Mr Olsen considers himself very lucky to have had the life he’s had.

“I had a few crashes along the line, as an aircrewman and also as a flight engineer, but I was able to get out of those with little more than a few scratches and bruises,” he says. “The overseas postings and overseas attachments that I had were great for a young man and a person who was making a career in the air force. I had those opportunities and I took them with both hands and I made it all work.

“You put your heart and soul into it – there’s no point going about things half-hearted or timid, you just make the job enjoyable even though it may have a few rough edges at the time.”

SERVICE RETURNS Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club’s ANZAC Day dawn service will return on April 25 at 5 am.

After being cancelled the past two years due to the pandemic, the committee is preparing for this year's event to be one of its most significant. The 2022 service is even more poignant as the club is celebrating its centenary.

To find your nearest ANZAC Day service visit lightupthedawn.com.au.

Do you have a will?

Is it valid and up to date?

Twilight Tour 5 May 2022 Be surprised when you explore Nambour Christian College. See our beautiful grounds, our Junior, Middle and Senior campuses as well our Berakah Farm, Hospitality Precinct, Health & Fitness Stadium and more.

It’s your opportunity to find out how your child will be valued at NCC.

Valuing what matters most.

www.ncc.qld.edu.au 2 McKenzie Road, Woombye QLD 4559 Call us today 5451 3333 enrolments@ncc.qld.edu.au

We offer Fixed Fee

WILLS with 10% senior discount!

Our qualififie ed Lawyers are available to meet with you at your home.

Call us on 07 5444 4750 Our succession team is available to assist you with the following:

 Wills & Estate Planning  Enduring Powers of Attorney  Advance Health Directive  Probate  Administration of Deceased Estates  Inheritance Disputes and Challenges to Wills T: 07 5444 4750 10 Aerodrome Road, Maroochydore E: info@millersockhilllawyers.com.au  W: www.millersockhilllawyers.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

5

Loss, laughs and lipstick Nambour theatre group’s Australian-first performance runs the gamut of emotions

Kathryn Barnes and Robyn Hungerford in The Revlon Girl at The Lind

by SEANNA CRONIN

A

true story of grief and resilience in the wake of an unimaginable but preventable tragedy comes to life on stage in The Lind's latest production.

The Nambour theatrical society's production of The Revlon Girl, which debuts on April 22, is set in the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster.

In October 1966 a coal mine waste tip collapsed in the Welsh mining village, killing 144 people including 116 children from the Pantglas Junior School.

Neil Anthony Docking's Olivier Award-nominated play, which was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the disaster, tells the real-life story of a group of bereaved mothers who gather initially to protest about the National Coal Board’s negligence.

In turn, they rally support for each other at weekly get-togethers in the function room above the Aberfan Hotel, where they can laugh, cry and comfort each other in private, away from judgment.

At one of their meetings, the women admit how much they felt they have let themselves go.

Afraid people would think them frivolous, they secretly arrange for a Revlon makeup consultant from Bristol to come and give them a talk on beauty tips.

OPEN MORNING 4 Please scan here to

BOOK YOUR SPOT

www.suncoastcc.qld.edu.au/open-morning

6

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

p. (07) 5451 3600 e. info@suncoastcc.qld.edu.au a. Cnr Schubert & Kiel Mtn Rds, Woombye

9:00AM - 11:00AM

There’s so much heart in a production done from a real story “Yes the mining disaster is the background story, but this play is not about the doom and gloom,” director Glenda Campi tells the Sunny Coast Times.

“The Revlon girl volunteers to come give them a nice evening to look after themselves, but we find out that she has her own story that develops further in the evening.

“Sure there are moments of sadness but it’s beautifully done. The play has really great fun moments in it and it shows the strength of Welsh people.”

Glenda, who is also The Lind president, came across the play by chance last year while working on another Lind production.

“We did the play Terra Nova, which is the story of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott’s dash to the South Pole. I got in contact with the greatgrandson of (petty officer) Edgar Evans, who is Welsh.

I’d been invited onto their community Facebook page and that’s how I found the play (The Revlon Girl),” she says.

“There’s so much heart in a production done from a real story. To this day, 55 years later, the mothers’ group is still going. It’s a support network that’s kept them going.”

The Lind is the first community theatre group in Australia to perform The

Revlon Girl.

During her preparations for the show, Glenda has been surprised to discover how many Coast residents have a connection to the Aberfan disaster.

“Within our own theatre group we had people saying their father was one of the loggers who brought the caravans down for the people who lost their homes,” she says.

“I’ve spoken to other people who’d lost cousins or their father was one of the ones digging in the slag trying to find the children.

I’m finding there are people who are still affected by it. All those stories make us realise the world is a very small place.”

The poignant and cathartic drama features a small core cast of actors who portray five different women all dealing with grief in their own way.

“I feel like I have a good connection with people and can work out what role

SINCLAIR TOUR & TRAVEL DAY TOURS - WITH PICK UPS

EXTENDED TOURS - SMALL GROUPS!

3 May Bribie Island Cruise & Lunch 6 May Queen Forever – QPAC 29 May Australian Outback Spectacular 15 Jun Dolly Parton's 9-5 Musical 25 Jun Dirty Dancing in Concert – Brisbane Convention Centre 13 Jul Bremer River Cruise/Lunch 17 Jul Mama Mia Here We Go Again - QPAC 24 Aug Cinderella – QPAC 7 Oct Elvis, If I can Dream – QPAC 8 Oct Qld Ballet – Manon – QPAC 17 Dec Michael Bublé – Brisbane Entertainment Centre 18 Feb 2023 Ed Sheeran – Suncorp Stadium

29 Apr Goondiwindi Steam Train 15 May Cairns, Atherton & Green Is. 1 Jun Silo Art Trail – Albury to Adelaide 7 Jun Sydney Vivid 8 Jun Flinders Ranges & Wine Country 14 Jun 5-day Mystery Tour 29 Jun Darwin, Tiwi Islands, Kakadu & Katherine - 2 spots left 12 Jul Maryborough and Hervey Bay – Whales, Markets & Mary Poppins.

15 Jul Torres Strait Islands 10 Aug Tangalooma 17 Aug Singapore 8 days 6 Sep Norfolk Island 8 days 19 Sep Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 26 Sep Birdsville Tour

Phone today to book! 5494 5083 www.sinclairtours.com

Riette de Jager and Naomi Clasohm

suits them best,” Glenda says.

“Christine Lynn, who has never performed at The Lind before, sounds like she’s just out of Wales. She plays Rona, who’s quite a fiery, brash character.

“Robyn Hungerford, who last performed with us some years ago, plays Jean and the role fits her perfectly. I know she is honoured to be able to represent her Welsh grandfather.”

The Revlon Girl is The Lind's first production of the year after the reopening of the state’s border and the subsequent wave of the Omicron variant scuttled plans for a February production.

But it will take more than a pandemic to slow down the amateur company, which is now in its 76th year.

Established in 1945 and originally known as Nambour Amateur Theatrical Society, the society operated for many years without a permanent home before the current Mitchell St theatre was built in 1980.

"Last year we managed to do a full year of six productions. We were only affected by one reschedule," Glenda says.

"At the start of this year we tried to put on three one-act plays but some people got Covid, then we had the floods. I feel this year is going to be really messy but we still plan to put on six productions in 2022."

The Revlon Girl plays a strictly limited season at Nambour's Lind Lane Theatre from April 22-30. For tickets and more information visit lindlane.com.au or phone 1300 732 764.

THE JAZZ SESSIONS Helen Russell & Friends

$54 + bf, 2-course dinner and show

Quality jazz, ne wines, craft beers and a gourmet meal Sunday 8th May Helen Russell & Friends Sunday 29th May Mal Wood & the Bowery Boys Glass House Brewery, Forest Glen www.facebook.com/ TheJazzSessions www.stickytickets.com.au/TheJazzSessions APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

7

Gretchen has a vision A for arts landscape

by MICHELE STERNBERG

Gretchen Keelty with Pam Magdefrau, founder of Arts Connect Inc, in her Flying Porky studio

FREE D.I.Y Off-Grid Solar Booklet Packed full of vital information to get you off-grid with ease!

You will discover how to: *source the best ultra robust long life Aussie made components at discount prices. *set up your solar system within an hour, in the simplest way imaginable! *make your solar panels last decades longer! *source the most economic long-life batteries available.

t first glance, Gretchen Keelty appears to be the antithesis of herself: artistic yet scientific, capricious yet calculated, refined yet resilient.

With a personality as complex and intriguing as the Fibonacci sequence, the tenacious Buderim artist and socialite knows how to wield a paintbrush as expertly as she does a firearm.

And while she’s no stranger to army greens, these days she’s more at home in a pair of jeans tending her pet chickens or donning a bejewelled ballgown for a special fundraising occasion.

The recently elected president of Arts Connect Inc is well-credentialled with a Bachelor of Arts in Design and a Bachelor of Business from the University of the Sunshine Coast, as well as a Bachelor of Science (Anatomical Sciences) from the University of Queensland, a Masters of Artistic Production from Universitat Politecnica de Valencia in Spain, a Certificate in Fine Arts – Painting from the Julian Ashton Fine Art School and a Diploma in Market Research, and has studied permaculture design and yoga, and completed officer training with the Australian Army.

The world traveller has planted her feet on home soil for a while as she prepares for the arrival of her first child in September and works to unite creatives on the Sunny Coast through her volunteer role with Arts Connect Inc. She was appointed president on November 16 last year and is relishing the task of raising the profile of the arts on the Coast through workshops, exhibitions and networking events for its 200-plus members.

Gretchen understands there is strength in numbers and the Coast has “probably the highest density of artists anywhere in the world”, but so many are isolated in home studios.

“A lot of artists are working in isolation so this is where having an organisation to really advocate and push for collaboration – and to see the opportunities – is quite important,” she says.

luscious cuddly robes @ Lady Bird Noosa

Winter’s on its way and before we know it we will need a winter wardrobe update...

European brand Belmanetti is renowned and loved world wide for their luxurious velveteen look and feel.

What we love: • A beautiful combination of bamboo and cotton, they are wonderfully breathable • Made with sustainable materials sourced and manufactured ethically • Designed and made in Europe

15 years of solar experience condensed into one small booklet!

• Beautifully cuddly and warm due to the soft velveteen feel

Email or phone me for your instant copy E: Serge@SolarLaserProductions.com.au Quick set-up solar A-Frames P: Serge 07-54845963

• Exceptional quality with beautiful finishes and details Come to Lady Bird Noosa for all the best brands, we will also be keeping your usual favourites Givoni • Schrank • Gingerlilly • Papinelle

Tough Aussie Inverter with AC socket

8

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Long life maintenance free, Aussie Carbon Battery

See you soon! The team at Lady Bird Noosa Tough Aussie Regulator

Dedicated to the perfect fit...

(07) 5455 4070 ladybirdnoosa@westnet.com.au Shop 17B Noosa Junction Plaza , Noosa Heads

 Gretchen in her studio, which was open to the public during Open Studios 2022

Gretchen is advocating for artists to be paid a fair price for their original work 

“Our vision for Arts Connect is to provide a platform to improve economic sustainability for artists and the arts in our region. We do this through our various activities such as our major events, member exhibitions, social events and workshops including the business of art.

“It’s a big role for a volunteer organisation but with the help of our members and sponsors, we hope to see our community grow and prosper.”

Despite the long unpaid hours in the role, including organising the closing of the Truth, Healing and Prophecy exhibition on March 5, Open Studios Sunshine Coast over two weekends from March 18 and the annual Arty Farty Party on March 30 (which she missed attending thanks to a bout of Covid), Gretchen seems in her element.

“It was a mad month, mad March. Now it’s more consolidation; we’re having a members’ survey and planning our calendar ahead so there’s more structure for learning and opportunities,” she says.

12 Oasis Court, Clontarf

07 3205 6088

Members are of all ages and range from those just starting their careers to others with international profiles and those who do art as a hobby or just for fun.

Gretchen says this year the group is introducing four teams to support its key activities – Open Studios Sunshine Coast, SOTE (Sculpture On The Edge), exhibitions and workshops.

“The one thing that we really need more than anything is people to volunteer,” she says. “It’s a lot of work for a couple of people but if you have 10 people helping by doing little amounts of works, it’s much more manageable.”

Gretchen says she used to feel that being an artist was almost indulgent.

“Art was something I enjoyed so much, that flowed so naturally, that it wasn’t a ‘real’ job. I have finally come to see how ridiculous this is,” she says.

207 Moray eld Road, Moray eld

07 3924 5830

sales@puresleep.com.au

However, it’s a misconception still held by many.

Gretchen would love to see public appreciation for art on par with other services and professions.

“Do you say to the builder, ‘I’ll let you come and build my house as a demo for public appreciation? And if you’re lucky I might chip in for the materials’? You just wouldn’t.”

At the end of the day, she hopes Arts Connect can support artists to build a more sustainable arts economy and truly put the Sunny Coast on the cultural map.

“We are looking at education, collaborations to create activations and asking, ‘what’s the best way for everyone to get benefit, for artists to get fair recognition and pay for their work?’ as well,” Gretchen says.

In the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, she’s hoping there will be many opportunities.

“Sunshine Coast Council has been very supportive of us and Open Studios, and we would really like to work together more closely with them in the future,” she says.

“We could have Arts Connect members create really unique things, like cards in the Olympic Village rooms, that people will cherish for the rest of their lives. A lot of what artists bring can really activate spaces.

“We could have ethically, sustainably made gifts, uniforms, furnishings, public art in the Olympic village that is really unique, celebrating everything that it is to be Australian.

“Later that public art goes out into the community – it’s not just a one-off thing, it’s also a future tourist attraction if all these different towns had their own piece which formed an Olympic art trail throughout South-East Queensland.

“We’re trying to help from an economic point of view; it’s not just cultural.”

If you're an artist and would like to join for $55 a year visit artsconnectinc.com.au.

Kawana Home Central, 566 Kawana Way

07 3924 5811

www.puresleep.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

9

Come walk with us!

Sunshine Plaza invites you to join Healthy Heart Walkers, a free walking group.

Led by a qualified trainer, join others on an early morning walk of Sunshine Plaza.

The program provides a safe and comfortable setting for walkers who want to enjoy regular exercise in a social environment.

Go at your own pace, enjoy a chat with fellow walkers and perhaps even stop for a post-walk coffee!

When: 7.30am – 8.30am Wednesday and Friday (commences from Wednesday 4 May) Where: Meet at Australia Post entry, Level 1 (near Orange Car Park), Sunshine Plaza Scan here or visit sunshineplaza.com for details and to sign up

Supported by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government

10

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Laughter lifting lives

by CRAIG ROSS

H

ealth and wellbeing may not generally be considered a laughing matter, but for one Sunshine Coast Toastmasters International club laughter is indeed the best medicine.

Formerly known as The Comedy Club, Humour’Us Toastmasters prides itself on being the home for Toastmasters International members who take their humour seriously.

Club president Lorraine Lehmann says Humour’Us Toastmasters is the brainchild of fellow founding members Clare Horan and Tracey Head, who recognise the importance of humour to our everyday lives and its effectiveness as a means of communication.

“They’re extremely funny ladies and they’ve both won (district) Toastmasters humorous competitions, so they felt that there was a need to have a humorous club,” Lorraine says.

“They looked into it and we had a meeting and it all came from there. We got our 20 members, we charted (the club) and it’s still going, which is wonderful.”

There is no shortage of research espousing the benefits laughter has on our health and mental wellbeing, which suggests the Humour’Us crew are a happy and healthy lot.

“Our club is all about laughing, it’s about fun,” Lorraine says. “Humour’Us Toastmasters is an advanced club, attracting experienced Toastmasters, and it’s all about using humour to deliver our message in a clear and precise way.

“I’ve heard so many speeches about laughter being the best medicine. The more we laugh, the less stress we have in our lives – and we certainly have lots of laughs at our club.

“We just decided that it’s important for people to laugh and it’s important for people to have fun, but it’s also important for us all to be able to deliver a serious message in a fun way (because) when you laugh, you remember messages a lot better.”

Any who doubted the viability of such a club at the time of its founding soon found that the joke was on them.

Each of the club’s monthly meetings is based on a theme (recent examples being ‘classic cartoons’ and ‘fractured fairy tales’), with members encouraged to employ all manner of comedic approaches including satire, puns, dad jokes,

Celebrating a club debate victory are Sarah Lawson, Marietta Wetzig, Irene Waters and Lorraine Lehmann

spoonerisms and alliteration to get their message across.

But there’s a lot more to all this funny business than may initially meet the eye. One thing that Lorraine is serious about is the benefits that Toastmasters International brings to club members.

“Toastmasters is all about building leadership skills and self-confidence,” she says. “And it’s always done in a very supportive way.

“The people you meet are amazing and building selfconfidence is important, particularly if you need it in your workplace.

“I’ve heard people say that they are more scared of public speaking than they are of dying. To me, that’s sad. Why fear getting up in front of people and putting your point across or delivering your message?”

Lorraine, a teacher who is also a member of the Caloundra Toastmasters International Club, says she has seen many Toastmasters members start out as nervous speakers before going on to become eloquent presenters, something that provides her with great satisfaction.

“I started with Toastmasters 22 years ago,” she says. “I don’t stay for me; I stay for the people that come in through the door.

“I think a lot of the experienced President Lorraine Lehmann says the Sunshine Coast's Humour'Us Toastmasters club is all about having fun while building leadership skills and self-confidence Enjoying the fun of a Toastmasters International Central Division conference are Humour'Us club members (from left) Irene Waters, Marietta Wetzig, Lorraine Lehmann, Barbara Nielsen, Sarah Lawson and Marilyn Freeman

Toastmasters feel like that. To see people come in from all walks of life and to see them develop, to me, is like teaching a student and seeing them flourish and getting an incredible job at the end.

“There’s nothing wrong with making yourself a better person and that’s what Toastmasters certainly does. It helps provide that growth that’s needed to make you a better person.”

Although an advanced club, those interested in becoming members or who wish to see what all the fun is about are encouraged to attend Humour’Us meetings.

Those attending are welcome to attend the premeeting dinner and participate in the warm-up discussions that constitute part of the meeting, or simply look on if they are uncomfortable about speaking.

Lorraine says new attendees will soon discover that all speakers are met by a supportive audience eager to help them on their speaking journey.

“It’s a supportive environment where you know you can’t fail,” she says. “If you stand up and you can’t get the words out, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got people in the audience who are going to support you no matter what and you always get helpful feedback on what you do well and what could be improved.”

So what is Lorraine’s advice for those about to experience a fate apparently worse than death, such as speaking at a wedding or delivering a work presentation?

“My little tip is to take three deep breaths and that just fills your brain with oxygen and gets your braining thinking,” she says. “Preparation is important too. If you have to give a speech, be prepared. Have it thought out beforehand and practice it a number of times before you deliver it.”

Humour’Us Toastmasters meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Alexandra Headland Surf Club. The next meeting is on May 12. Club members gather for an optional dinner at the venue’s dining area at 6pm with meetings following at 7pm. For more information contact the Humour’Us Toastmasters International Club via its Facebook page or email lesley@storkeysteam.com.

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

11

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Cancer is a complicated process W

elcome to our new Q&A column I’ve Always Wondered… for all the big and little medical questions you’ve always wanted to ask.

I’m a breast and endocrine surgeon but over the years I’ve become allergic to gloves and skin preps (and a few people), so I’ve recently retired from surgical practice on the Sunshine Coast. Medical communication has always been my passion and although I’ve loved operating it has always been the process of sharing information and developing understanding with my patients that has kept me engaged.

Each edition I’ll choose a question sent in by readers to explore more deeply. As this is the first edition I’ve chosen one of the questions I’ve been asked most often.

I’ve always wondered, what is cancer actually?

Cancer, like all the words that mean so much in life, is surprisingly hard to define. I think the most useful starting point is to understand cancer in terms of two fundamental processes: unregulated cell copying and loss of cellular markers of identity.

The four trillion or so cells in our bodies are highly specialised and form intricate networks to create our tissues and organs. They need to be replaced continually throughout our lives and faithful copies need to be made – the right cell type, at the right time, the right number of copies. In broad terms this process is dictated by our DNA and damage to the

SUNNY COAST TIMES

one or more of the many genes regulating cell copying may lead to too many copies, copies with errors that predispose to more errors and copies of immature and incomplete cell types. What arises in the body is a “lump” made by these extra cells. This lump can be the ‘canary in the coal mine’ that leads to diagnosis, or can itself cause serious harm if it blocks a critical function as it expands.

The other hallmark of cancer as a process is loss of cellular identity. A nerve cell with its long tentacles carrying electrical impulses and endings capable of transmitting those signals via chemical release is vastly different to a breast milk duct lining cell that forms a smooth tiled passage and tight barrier between the internal and external environments.

Cancerous cells are often incomplete or immature versions of the cell they are meant to be. As a result, they lose their tight relationship to neighbouring cells and can drift or move through tissues, blood, lymph or membranous body cavities in ways a mature fully developed cell can’t. This is what underpins movement of cancer from where it began (the primary cancer) to movement to other sites in the body (secondary cancer, or metastasis). Vital organs and processes can be overrun by invasive cancer cells, and loss of critical functions in these organs can lead to death from cancer.

So although we naturally tend to think of cancer in terms of the organ it appeared in (breast cancer, bowel cancer, skin cancer and so on) it’s the underlying loss of regulation of cell copying and markers of cell identity that underpin all cancerous processes. There are shared processes at a molecular level that cross between cancers arising in very

different organs – and research breakthroughs in one type of cancer often translate into insights and treatment advances in other cancers. Moving our focal point from the visible lump to these cellular and molecular changes is the paradigm shift that has seen cancer move from a universally fatal disease 100 years ago to one that is now often curable when caught early enough in its development.

I hope this has been helpful and interesting.

Email your questions for Emma to editor@sunnycoastmedia.com.au.

The Sunny Coast Times is proud to introduce its brand new

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

• Health expert opinions and advice

A N D W E L L B E I N G SECTION

Featuring: • Latest health technology and procedures

Readership - 150,000 : Noosa to Caloundra Additional standalone online version For health column & advertising enquiries

Health

I’VE ALWAYS WONDERED …

by EMMA SECOMB

• Featured specialists across the region

Email: hello@sunnycoastmedia.com.au or Call: 07 5499 9049

SUNNY COAST MEDIA

12

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

It’s time to talk about men’s mental health ADVERTORIAL

T

here are many reasons many men do not seek mental health support. Most commonly it’s a misconception that asking for support is weak, that it’s not ‘manly’.

Our traditional Australian masculinity doesn’t always align with the mindset required to reach out for support: keep emotions to yourself, except anger; tough it out, especially when it hurts; rely on yourself at all costs; avoid even the slightest hint of vulnerability; don’t complain.

Other reasons relate to men’s general lack of knowledge and understanding about what’s going on for them, or underdeveloped skills to talk about their emotions. Some men simply don’t know when they are struggling, when they might need support, where to go for support, or what to say and how to say it when they’re in the hurt locker. Furthermore, poor experiences with seeking help in the past is now a known reason why men don’t ask again.

They work up the courage to seek support but then regret doing so because it simply didn’t meet their expectations.

This is a lost opportunity.

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

But it’s not all doom and gloom – there is hope.

Thankfully, there is an increasing understanding of what is required for a men’s specific mental health service. Mantle Health is a specialist one-on-one video telehealth psychology service, primarily for men, aimed at prevention, treatment and performance enhancement. The service is all about giving men access to high-quality psychological support when they want and need it, with minimal wait times.

Its primary goal is to help men to be better partners, brothers, sons, fathers, workmates or friends, and improve the lives of men and those around them.

Why do we do what we do at Mantle? Let’s not sugar-coat it, many men in Australia are struggling with their mental health. Almost 50 per cent of men will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, with 72 per cent of these men not seeking professional support. Mantle has been designed with the wants and needs of men in mind. It uses availability, technology and psychologist capability to remove barriers to accessing professional support and is dedicated to improving the lives of men.

So if you’re struggling, engage in professional support sooner rather than later – your capacity to learn is greater when you’re not completely overwhelmed.

Seek support for the betterment of your own mental health and for those closest to you. Give the team at Mantle a call on 1300 646 753 or visit mantlehealth.com.au and they should be able to get you in with a psychologist within the week.

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

13

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Finding a better health solution

ADVERTORIAL

G

overnment research indicates that every day an estimated nine million Australians take prescription medicine, two million take over-the-counter medication and seven million take complementary medicine.

Additionally, almost a quarter of a million people are hospitalised each year due to problems caused by their medication.

The evidence seems to be mounting up that western medicine doesn’t always hit the mark.

Take this scenario, for example: A person has some pain in their knee. They see their GP, who refers them to a physio, but the pain continues. So the patient heads back to the GP who then refers them to a surgeon. The surgeon does what surgeons do and operates. The patient is then left with months of post-surgery recovery and more prescription medications to help with post-surgical pain.

This seems to be the status quo in specialists’ rooms across the country.

It’s worth exploring some of these issues, the first being symptom management versus a root cause fix.

When the health solution focuses on the symptoms in that one area, it is a quick fix – a masking of the issue. So if the knee pain is covered up using medications, the person may feel better because they are temporarily ‘pain-free’, but this ‘solution’ is not addressing the source of the issue. The hamster wheel of using medications to ‘mask’ the pain can

ANF uses small adhesive discs that work directly with the nervous system

also have negative side effects like stomach or kidney damage from sustained use.

Next is looking at specialist body part versus holistic health.

When any body part is looked at in isolation, the information being studied is only a small part of the bigger body picture. In the human body, nothing ever works in isolation (remember the old song ‘the hip bone’s connected to the thigh bone’ and so on).

If only a knee specialist is involved in the health solution, they may not look at the rest of the body to see the whole picture of how and what is affected.

And finally, we need to look at body prioritisation.

This is a fancy way of saying that the body will do what it needs to do to keep the most vital of its functions going – sometimes to the detriment of other functions in the body.

This is called a ‘hierarchy’.

By starting with the part of the body that has the highest ranking in the body’s hierarchy (rather than where it ‘hurts’), all of the body’s interlinked systems are addressed, from the most important to the least important.

For example, emotions (aka stress) rule all systems in the body and need to be worked on as top priority. Have you heard about stressed people getting sick? This is why.

REGISTERED NDIS PROVIDER OFFERING A RANGE OF SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY Assistance In Daily Living | Community Participation | Transport | Supported Independent Living (SIL) Tailored Support Services is a disability support provider located in the heart of Maroochydore. Our support workers travel around the Sunshine Coast providing a range of supports assisting you to live your best life. We work hard to find the most suited and experienced staff who will be there to guide and support you in your daily life.

OFFICE PHONE 5338 8670 | MOBILE 0431 590 010

EMAIL admin@tailoredsupport.com.au | WEBSITE www.tailoredsupport.com.au

OFFICE HOURS Monday to Friday: 8am - 4pm | ADDRESS 3/106 Sixth Ave Maroochydore

14

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

After stress, the second priority system is the lymphatic and liver system. However, how often have you heard about the lymphatic system from a health professional as the cause of pain? See why many medical professionals are missing the mark?

The least prioritised system (and the one that often presents the most obvious problems) is the muscles, joints and ligaments – where the specialist investigates your knee pain.

So if mainstream medicine isn’t getting to the root problem, what are the options?

Seeking out an open-minded, educated health practitioner who understands the ‘whole of body’ approach to health is the first step. And the key to finding these people is to ask the right questions. These include: when you do your assessment, do you take into consideration the impact of the lymphatic, endocrine and nervous systems; when I have a health issue, do you look at where the pain is presenting or my whole body; and do you believe invisible inflammation can be recognised in the human body? (The answer here is yes and can display as fatigue, stiffness, headache, loss of appetite, pain, oedema, swelling, redness, memory problems and loss of function.)

One approach that’s now available in Australia involves a unique therapy developed in Europe that’s totally drug-free and address the body in the right hierarchy of needs. This therapy is called Amino Neuro Frequency (ANF). It consists of small adhesive discs that work directly with the nervous system and therefore address the root cause of the presenting problems or pain.

It’s essentially like they reboot nerves that are compromised through injury, illness or disease.

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Zooki Hair is a Colour Specialist and only ever use top quality professional products.

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Style and colour consulta on Half-head foils or gorgeous gloss colour with 10 fashion foils Glamour Cut Blow wave or Straighten Intense condi oning Ÿ treatment Ÿ

Scalp massage Brow nt

ANF can reboot compromised nerves

ANF Therapy is different because the health practitioners who are trained in the hierarchy of need in the body’s systems are now able to find the root cause of somebody’s pain, rather than just treating the symptom. This way they are looking at the body holistically and provide a whole health solution.

Because it works at a cellular level, ANF Therapy is also quick to act and offers long-lasting results. Patients may experience up to a 50 per cent reduction in pain within 15 minutes, transforming physical and sporting performance while reducing inflammation.

Being Therapeutic Goods Administration-registered, ANF Devices give patients a way of allowing their body to regulate itself and heal from the inside out, which means sometimes that planned surgery can be avoided altogether.

For more information scan the QR code or visit cluzie.com.

DentureARTDenture Clinic DentureART Ÿ Quality materials

and workmanship

Ÿ Precision and

extra care taken

Your satisfactr ion is ou priority!

For all your Denture needs contact Derik at

P: 0408 784 643

Shop 5, 168-170 Main Street Village Square MONTVILLE admin@dentureart.com.au www.dentureart.com.au

Welcome to Better Family Health Open 7 days Bulk-Billing Appointments can now be booked via HotDoc › › › › › › › › › › › ›

Free breast screening services at Caloundra, Maroochydore, Nambour & Noosaville

Women’s and Men’s Health Childhood Immunisations Ante and Postnatal Care Covid-19 AstraZeneca & Pfizer Vaccines Weight Loss Clinic Advanced Indigenous Health Care Skin Checks Medical Cannabis TeleHealth Consultations Cosmetic Injections Chronic Disease Management Driver and Employment Medicals

All New Patients Welcomed 07 5450 0151

admin@blibliclinic.com.au

www.betterfamilyhealth.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

15

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Helping you come back from injuries ADVERTORIAL

by RUBEN DELIN Core Strength Fitness

W

hat’s so humbling about everyone’s fitness journey is that we all start from somewhere, and for different reasons.

The truth for me is I started out in my mum’s living room, struggling to make just one push-up. I wanted to feel better, have more energy throughout the day and be a better person to the people around me. With consistency and dedication my journey gave me more than what I asked for and eventually it became my biggest passion.

My name is Ruben and I coach out of Core Strength Fitness. I have a background in competitive powerlifting and bodybuilding, placing second and fourth in two divisions in states bodybuilding ICN and third in the 105 division in states powerlifting APU, and have personal experience of the dieting that both of these sports entail. I’ve studied a Diploma of Sport Development, which includes Cert 3 and 4 in Fitness, and I’m currently doing a

Ruben Delin from Core Strength Fitness can help clients recover from injury setbacks

Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

All these things might sound grand but I too had to start my fitness journey somewhere.

After a few years as an athlete where the mindset is to push boundaries, I was predisposed – like most people – to come across injuries. I had to teach myself new ways to train around them and to improve on my weaknesses and instabilities to face it head on. Quickly this became one of my main interests as I was determined to come back stronger and all the wiser for it.

Today most of my clientele have had some sort of injury and have come to see me. Surprisingly, in most cases, it’s a matter of helping my clients understand their weaknesses and how to improve them, little by little and not to force the progression.

If you´re feeling like you’re stagnating and not improving with your training, or you’re recovering from an injury and feel lost in how to take it from there, feel free to reach out to me and I’ll see in what way I can assist you. Email rubenssmartstrength@gmail.com or phone 0414 184 340.

Making mums stronger Cha

way you feel about denti nging the s

ty

FAMILY DENTISTRY TEETH WHITENING • DENTAL IMPLANTS SAME DAY CERAMIC CROWNS CALL 5455 5500 | OPEN Monday to Saturday www.gentledentalnoosacivic.com.au | CEO@gentledentalgroup.com.au LOCATED outside of Noosa Civic Shopping Centre, near all the big banks

16

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

A

Buderim mum is helping other new and expectant mothers to return to exercise safely – and have a laugh along the way.

Emma Bunting from Motivate Mums says she is passionate about motivating pregnant women and new mothers to get active and feel part of a mum community.

“I want to help mums feel strong on the inside and out, change the way women look and feel about themselves,” she says. “I know all too well that new mums often feel overwhelmed with the more-thanfull-time job of being a mum and the thought of exercise can sometimes feel too hard. Joining a fitness group with likeminded mums might be just what you need.”

She launched the business in Sydney in April 2020 after having her first baby and recognising a gap in the way women are looked after within the fitness industry once they become a mother. Soon after she

launched an online platform to reach more mums after both personal and group training sessions were over-subscribed.

She relocated to Queensland in December last year and relaunched the business on the Coast in January, offering personal and group training sessions in her own studio and at an outdoor location in Buderim.

Her sessions are child-friendly, meaning mums can bring their bubs.

As a certified MumSafe training provider, Emma works alongside women's health experts to ensure new mothers are given the best introduction to pre- and post-natal exercise.

“I believe all mums deserve a safe return to exercise after having a baby,” she says. “I am passionate about building a community for my mums where they feel motivated to be fitter and stronger.”

Classes follow term times.

Visit motivatemums.com.

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

An attitude of gratitude IMAGE

by KERRIE FRIEND

I

t seems like it takes a lot of energy in these extraordinary days of a global pandemic, war, natural disasters and other life happenings to not be pulled down by negativity. These things are very real and are constantly being pushed at us through the 24/7 availability of news and the noise of social media. In the past few years there seems to be an endless barrage of circumstances that have been quite tiring and have left a lot of us feeling lost, confused and hopeless, but I’m telling you my “brave hearts” that we can fight back with an attitude of gratitude.

Take a good look around and you’ll still see there’s beauty to be found everywhere, even among all of the craziness we’ve been enduring, through the acts of kindness – whether small or big. Take a deep breath and don’t be too hard on yourself or others as we all navigate the chaos together. None of us are perfect but we can have perfect moments among the turmoil. Life is beautiful and though it surely has its challenges, staying mindful of the gift of life itself keeps us more grateful. Don’t allow the things you might currently see going on around you keep you down or make you feel negative about life, and most importantly don’t let whining, gossip and complaining begin

to seep into your soul because it can be a very slippery slope that’s difficult to stop when you start. Fight the good fight of fear and negativity with faith and hopefulness.

Another essential thing to do, especially during tough times, is to take care of you and avoid any bad habits such as too much alcohol, sugar, poor diet, social media, news and lack of sleep. Staying disciplined and focused on the things you can control, doing your best and letting the things outside your control drop away is a really good strategy called “controlling the controllables”. The journey of life and the world we live in are constantly changing, so expecting things to stay the same is naive, but seeing it all through a more expansive lens helps you realise that difficulties and challenges change also and the sun rises each new day.

If you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or tired from the past few years, I hear you. But I believe it’s time for us to make a valuable decision and turn the page as the season we’ve been living through is changing and it’s time to stamp out any remaining negativity and replace it with appreciation and thankfulness. Let’s kick pessimism, complaining or unreasonableness to the curb and instead choose to be expectant of good things. Life is what we make so let’s make it overflow with thankfulness. No one’s life is perfect but there are always perfect moments so let’s opt to celebrate those and continue to be grateful and not let negativity gain any momentum in our one-of-a-kind precious life.

God bless, Kerrie.

Visit kerriefriend.com.

Screening service comes to you

B

reastScreen Queensland Sunshine Coast is hitting the road in April, with “pop-up” breast screening sessions at shopping centres around the region.

The region has recently seen a lot of residents moving home or relocating from interstate, and in the upheaval of a move it is easy to forget about your two-yearly breast screen.

“Women new to the Sunshine Coast may not be aware that free screening is available in six locations from Gympie to Caboolture, as well as at a number of regular mobile sites,” BreastScreen Queensland health promotion officer Gillian Duffy says.

“By taking our mobile service to shopping centres, our service is easily accessible for busy women. They can drop in for information, book an appointment at a convenient time, or have a breast screen there and then.”

The service is provided free to women aged 40 years and over. Women aged 50-74 are encouraged to have a breast screen every two years as studies show that this age group benefits the most from regular screening. Finding breast cancer early can increase treatment options and save lives.

“To encourage women who are overdue for their twoyearly breast screen to book an appointment, women who attend for breast screening during April, May or June will be entered in a monthly prize draw to win one of five $50 gift cards,” Ms Duffy says.

The mobile service will be at Stockland Baringa from April 19-20 and Bunnings Caloundra from April 21-23.

No doctor’s referral is needed. Some walk-in appointments are available. For more information, to update contact details or to make an appointment phone 13 20 50 or visit breastscreen.qld.gov.au.

Calls to support cancer charity

B

loomhill Cancer Care is launching its Greatest Need Appeal, celebrating 25 years of providing personalised support to those touched by cancer.

“We’re delighted to launch our Greatest Need Appeal, which will run throughout the month of April,” CEO Christopher John says.

“This month, please join with us as we begin celebrating Bloomhill Cancer Care’s incredible 25-year legacy.

“The Greatest Need Fund is for individuals or organisations who want to give but want their dollars to go toward the most urgent shortfalls, across any area of the organisation, from nurse wages to paying the main operating expenses.

“We are a community-based organisation and receive no ongoing government funding. Almost 100 per cent of our funding comes from our entrepreneurial endeavours and community donations, which allows us to provide dedicated care services for those touched by cancer.

“Over the past year, we have supported more than 1400 people and provide more than 7120 occasions of nursing, allied health care and wellness activities each year at our wellness centre in Buderim.”

One of those many people who have been helped by Bloomhill is Shelly Rankin.

She was 20 years old, fit and healthy. After visiting her GP for the 10th time to find out why her cold wouldn’t go away, and after several tests and an X-ray, she was told she had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Six rounds of chemotherapy and six months later, Shelly’s treatments were successful, the tumour was gone and she was in remission. Blood tests and other scans have shown no evidence of the disease. She has six-monthly check-ups and monitors for symptoms, but as far as she knows is cancer free.

When Shelly found Bloomhill Cancer Care and came to the wellness centre in Buderim, she felt relief that there were people who “just got it”.

“What’s helped me is having a community who understand,” Shelly says. “Even if they’re not your age or your cancer, people get it. You just talk to people and keep in touch; find like-minded people. We’re all a lot more mature than others our age. Nobody else really gets it.”

To help with the Greatest Need Appeal visit bloomhill.com.au/appeal/greatest-need.

Shelly Rankin at Bloomhill. Image by Patrick Woods APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

17

HOLISTIC H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L B E I N G

Program empowering

children

by JACQUI HENSEL

The Mountain View Walk is a valuable part of Elissa Seib’s Curious Kids Can program. Image by Jacqui Hensel

A

warm, intuitive and charismatic person who has spent her professional life inspiring kids to empower themselves, Elissa Seib’s openness, zest for life and love of nature have a positive impact on those around her. Her life path has drawn her to many contrasting communities, where she found the similarities out-weighed the differences.

Now, Elissa uses her unique teaching experiences as she runs mentoring business Curious Kids Can, which aims to emotionally empower kids and celebrate their individuality.

Fresh out of university Elissa was appointed to a 12-month post at Goodooga Central School in outback NSW, teaching Indigenous kids.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Elissa then accepted a second teaching appointment in a Lebanese school in Sydney.

Although these communities were very different from each other, she found the kids in both often struggled with communication.

“In my early days of teaching, the kids at both Goodooga and St Charbel’s were often frustrated and struggled to communicate with me,” Elissa says.

However, through effective non-verbal communication and observing their body language, Elissa learnt to respect these forms of communication and subtly incorporated these skills into her

18

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Personal Awareness Program.

“In both of these places I learned so much and it made me realise that I wanted to help kids,” she says. “Both of these communities were so accepting of me. The experiences I had enriched my life so much – and the food from the Lebanese community was so delicious!”

After a number of years in Sydney, Elissa returned to Queensland and settled at Eudlo in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

It was here that Curious Kids Can was formed.

“My house was right on the edge of the rainforest and it was such a beautiful place that I decided to share it with my kids,” she says. “We would go for a walk there and it was a great way to reset. I was there for 18 years and recently decided to relocate to Maleny. So the rainforest walk became the Mountain View Walk.”

She developed her signature Personal Awareness Program based on her personal and professional experiences and caters for school-age children.

“I really want to nurture and strengthen kids' emotional intelligence so they can become confident and competent lifelong learners. I knew I had the skill set thanks to my early days of being a teacher,” Elissa says.

“Empowering Elissa and her students from St Charbel's in the 1990s

kids instead of ‘telling them what to do’ allows them to take ownership of their own thoughts, actions and goals. With this in hand, kids are more likely to ‘have a go’ without shame or embarrassment. I also never liked being told what to do when I was young.”

Curious Kids Can is an intimate oneon-one Covid-safe personal mentoring service, dedicated to nurturing and strengthening emotional intelligence.

“The Personal Awareness Program is taking the time to really get to know each other in a respectful way. Each program is individualised,” she says.

“Kids can be so self-aware, they know what they need and what skills they have. My program is holistic, in that the child’s parents are crucial for the success of their child.

Throughout the eight-week program, kids at Curious Kids Can become more confident, self-assured and willing to ‘have a go’ at any new strategy I introduce to them.

“If they are not ready to talk, they know to head straight to the self-empowering Think Tank challenges where they actually empower themselves.”

Now Elissa is located in Maleny, she is able to take advantage of the wonderful scenery.

“The most important conversations, however, happen on the Mountain View Walk,” she says. “The walk ‘clears the air’ and makes it easier to transition into the structured component of the Personal Awareness Program.”

Elissa’s qualifications include a Master of Education in Children’s Literature, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education, a Diploma in Education K-6 and a Certificate in Religious Education.

For more details visit curiouskidscan.com.au or email Elissa at elissa@curiouskidscan.com.au.

Nursing ‘the best life decision’ says new graduate

T

hirty new nursing graduates have been welcomed to hospitals on the Sunshine Coast as the health industry works to recover from staffing shortages related to the pandemic.

The introduction of the 30 graduate registered nurses (RNs) by Ramsay Health Care is a 130 per cent increase on the intake at the same time last year.

Among the new graduates is an RN who has been working at Noosa Hospital for five years.

Emma Perry began her career as a catering assistant at the hospital in 2017 and was inspired to join the team of nurses.

“I had always been interested in caring for others however I never knew that I wanted to become a nurse until I started at Noosa Hospital,” she says.

“I love that every single day I look forward to going to work. Each day is different and a challenge in one way or another.

“If you’re considering becoming a nurse it’ll be the best life decision you make.”

Ramsay CEO Justin Greenwell says the new graduates will receive plenty of support as they begin their new roles.

“Like many industries, workforce shortages have been a significant challenge over the past two years, so it’s wonderful to welcome so many new members to our nursing team,” Mr Greenwell said.

“To ensure they feel supported, Ramsay Health Care has introduced a buddy system so there is someone to regularly check in on the new grads’ wellbeing and progress. We’ve also increased the educational support available to them.

“Ramsay Health Care has also invested in our nurse leaders with a new leadership program focused on creating exciting career pathways for them.”

In total, Noosa Hospital has 14 new RNs (up from four in last year), Nambour Selangor Private Hospital has seven (also up from four) and Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital has nine (up from five).

Emma Perry at Noosa Hospital

Lucky escape for turtle

by VIC JAKES

T

he excessive rain triggered by the La Nina weather pattern this summer caused the creek at the entrance to my property to flood over the bridge on a number of occasions. While there is a large culvert that normally permits all the water to flow downstream, higher flood levels result in water flowing through several smaller pipes incorporated towards the top of the bridge structure. At times, to prevent water levels rising above the bridge surface, it is necessary to clear vegetation and debris from the entrance to these upper pipes to maximise water flow, which can only be achieved by feeling down towards the pipe entrance and removing any blockage by hand.

On one particular occasion, while trying to clear the leaves and branches blocking these pipes, I suddenly felt movement in the murky water at the pipe entrance. I intuitively knew that a turtle had become trapped in the pipe entrance, its shell too large to go through the pipe, with the water pressure more than sufficient to ever let the creature escape before the water would subside. Very carefully, for I know local turtles can have a vicious bite, I grasped the edges of the carapace at a point I hoped was well away from the reach of the turtle’s mouth. I extracted the creature, concerned that it may have been trapped underwater for too long, as the flood torrent had existed for almost 24 hours.

Having extracted the turtle, it was clearly almost at death's door but, thank goodness, there were still weak signs of life. I placed the turtle onto the bridge surface, relieved to detect some breathing.

Remarkably, within a few minutes, the turtle started to recover, during

which time I was able to see its relatively short neck and distinctive markings, in particular a yellow streak behind the eyes extending back on each side as far as the large visible ear drum, that would enable me to make a positive identification.

The rescued creature turns out to be a Krefft’s turtle (Emydura macquarii krefftii), which occurs only in Queensland on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range.

This current scientific name identifies it as a sub-species of the Macquarie turtle, but there is sufficient belief that it warrants identification as an entirely separate species that will probably, in time, see the ‘macquarii’ dropped.

Averaging about 250mm in shell length, these attractive freshwater turtles are not large but can live for more than 15 years inhabiting flowing rivers and smaller creeks as well as swamps and lagoons. After hatching and while juvenile, the Krefft’s turtle is entirely carnivorous, feeding on small fish and crustaceans as well as carrion that may have ended up in the water. As they mature, however, they will also eat aquatic vegetation and fruits from overhanging waterside plants. Nests are built from October through to January in excavated burrows away from the water’s edge, into which up to 16 hard-shelled eggs are laid. After 7-11 weeks, depending upon temperatures, the self-sufficient hatchlings dig their way out of the nest chamber to start feeding, but are readily predated upon by opportunistic fish and snakes.

Quite clearly, my rescued turtle has survived all of life’s hazards so far and as it recovers full strength, it makes its way over the side of the safer downstream side of the bridge, ready to re-enter the flooded creek. May it continue to be so lucky for the remainder of its natural life.

A Krefft's turtle having survived a near drowning. Image by Vic Jakes

TREE TO STUMP

WE DO IT ALL

TREE REMOVAL & PRUNING MULCHING & STUMP GRINDING FREE QUOTES

SwimSafe QLD Mobile pool maintenance & repairs Swimming pool safety inspections and fence repairs

Locally owned & operated | Qualified & insured

H

ave you ever wanted to capture the character of your favourite bird in a drawing but weren’t sure how?

Award-winning social enterprise NatureArt Lab is offering two new courses in late April and May. Participants will have the opportunity to learn tips and techniques for sketching birdlife from talented wildlife illustrator Zoe Lawrence.

The first is a weekend workshop on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, titled Sketching and Understanding Birdlife, at Bellvista Meeting Place, Caloundra. This is a light-filled lakeside venue surrounded by wetland species such as waterbirds, turtles and frogs.

Students will practise observation, field and studio sketching, and focus on the unique features of our feathered friends, culminating in a finalised illustration.

The second is a longer series of four classes to be held from May 5-26 at the beautiful Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve at Maleny, which comprises 55 hectares of subtropical rainforest and is a living museum of diverse plant and animal life that will delight with its tranquility and beauty. Participants of Illustrating the Birdlife of Mary Cairncross will learn about the birds of the Maleny region, as well as approaches for field sketching, understanding bird behaviour and avian natural history. Primary mediums will be graphite and coloured pencil, with exercises to build familiarity and confidence. Students will practise field and studio sketching, and create multiple sketches of their favourite bird species as well as a finalised illustration capturing their chosen bird in a natural pose.

Zoe Lawrence is an established natural history illustrator and artist based on the Sunshine Coast. To secure your place visit natureartlab.com.au and select ‘South East Queensland Classes’ from the menu.

H elpi ng you buy t h e ri gh t propert y at t h e best pri c e saving you time, money & stress Boutique Real Estate Buyer’s Agent, Sunshine Coast.

Acreage and hinterland specialist.

Scan for free consultation and more information

BRM tree services Tim Miller

0401 441 945 Find us on Facebook

0448 793 148 swimsafeqld.com.au

0428 466 487 | www.cammcclymont.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

19

COMMUNITY NEWS

A Caloundra Holiday The best way to unwind!

CONTACT US...

Caloundra Holiday Centre Specialists in Holiday Accommodation

07 5491 5444 | caloundraholidaycentre.com.au

ADVERTORIAL

Blue Mountains National Park Outside the buzzing city of Sydney is a calming yet picturesque site ready to be uncovered. A two-hour journey from Sydney will get you to the appealing and world heritage, the Blue Mountains National Park. The magical Blue Mountains National Park dwells in the Blue Mountains Region of New South Wales!

The classic Blue Mountains is one of the most visited places on Earth. The cultural, historical and biotically eclectic park has over 80 miles of the walking trek, indigenous sites for visitors to applaud is home to Echo Point where the celebrated three sister rock array settles.

With such prosperous heritage and culture, being a world heritage is just the best thing to happen to this nature trove. A Blue Mountains tour is sufficient to persuade every one of its superiority, leaving no doubts as to why it is a world heritage.

Indigenous Australian tribes are the world's ancient living culture, they have unique, rattling good tribal anecdotes, and you can enjoy listening to their folk tales sitting beside the bonfire. The historic three sisters are one of them! The notable three sisters’ array by the name Meehni, Wimlah, Gunnedoo dwells close to the town of Katoomba, their magnificent and unprecedented anecdotes are ripe for the gossip mill and will certainly amaze you as well! The story is about three sisters from an aboriginal tribe who were condemned and turned into stones by a wizard. Many books, plays, and dramas are written on the same and tourists come from across the ball to visit the historic three sisters.

You can relish vibing with the tribe, sipping local booze, and listening to the folktales from the local tribe itself!

Go For Bushwalks Want to take a better look at everything for yourself? Well, nothing is stopping you from taking your own sweet time and walking through the trails. Throughout the Blue Mountains, you could explore so many incredible bushwalking trails. From extravaganza cliff top trails to waterfall trails, the Blue Mountains will cite you with splendors.

We have some great deals available now.

Give us a call or check out our website for more information

www.123travel.com.au

123Travel 5/56 Burnett Street, Buderim Q. 4556

P. 5476 9368

20

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Montville

Buderim

Double treat

Boost for students

Those looking for a weekend Hinterland getaway are spoiled for choice on April 30 and May 1 with two local groups hosting public events.

The Sunshine Coast Arts and Craft Group is holding its autumn fair at the Montville Village Community Hall, starting at 9am each day. Many handmade items (pictured) will be for sale, as well as goodies at the cafe.

Visit facebook.com/sunshinecoastartsandcrafts.

And the Blackall Range Woodcrafters Guild is holding open days featuring all things wood, including demonstrations and timber, tools, craft items and toys for sale.

Visit the ‘Woodies’ clubhouse at 230-238 Balmoral Rd.

Six hundred Coast families will benefit from $30,000 worth of $50 vouchers, to be distributed through schools and community organisations thanks to the Buderim Foundation.

The vouchers will be distributed through Buderim Mountain State School, Chancellor State College, Mountain Creek State Primary School, Mountain Creek State High School, Kuluin State School and SunnyKids as part of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Back to School Program.

Pictured are Buderim War Memorial Community Association's Teale Ring, Mountain Creek chaplains Stuart Cran and Anthony Pulford, Buderim Foundation's Charlie Morris and Buderim Lions' Brian McBride. Image by Cheryl Nomnus.

Pelican Waters

Mudjimba/Mooloolaba

Boaties’ haven

Test of endurance

Work on the first marina built on the Sunshine Coast in more than 30 years has begun.

The multi-million-dollar Pelican Waters Marina will offer state-of-the-art dry-boat storage for up to 160 vessels, 126 wet berths, a fully equipped chandlery and full-service marine yard.

The joint venture project between Pelican Waters Heart (the developer of Pelican Waters) and Marine Holdings Australia (which will operate the marina), will be complemented by a waterside town centre-style precinct known as Marina Village, featuring retail and medical services.

Site work on the marina component has started, with the facility expected to open in late 2022.

Visit pelicanwatersmarina.com.au.

The Island Charity Swim, a major annual fundraiser for Nambour, Currimundi and Palmview special schools, returns on May 7.

The swim involves a 10km trip from Mudjimba Beach around Mudjimba Island (Old Woman Island) to Mooloolaba Beach. The unique challenge allows participants the chance to enter an exclusive club of those who have complete the course.

Swimmers must be properly prepared and have a support paddler and boat on hand. Entries can be individual of for teams of up to six.

More than $1 million has been raised since the swim started in 2001.

For more details visit islandcharityswim.com.au.

QUICK CATCH-UP History walks

Caloundra Family History and Research Group is conducting history walking tours of Bulcock St on April 23 and May 7 and 21 for one hour from 10am. The tours are free but donations would be appreciated. The group’s next meeting is on April 21 with guest speaker Ralph Gray on “the Aussie who won the war”. Visit caloundrafamilyhistory.org.au or phone June on 0409 932 299.

Celebrating philanthropy

The Queensland Community Foundation will celebrate philanthropic giving through its annual QCF Philanthropy Awards, which are held as part of Philanthropy Week (June 6-10). The awards acknowledge those who have made an outstanding contribution to a charity or community services. Nominations close on April 30, visit qcf.org.au/philanthropy-week.

COMMUNITY NEWS Need legal advice about retirement living?

David Wise Solicitor

Specialist advice for residents and prospective residents of retirement villages, over 50's resorts, and manufactured home parks, including entry, exit, dispute resolution.

Wills, Powers of Attorney and Estates.

Buderim

Mooloolaba

Tireless advocate

Helping the homeless

Nine Sunshine Coast residents and organisations have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the region at a ceremony to announce this year’s Australia Day Award recipients.

Buderim’s Mark Ellis (pictured centre) was named citizen of the year for his work advocating to put a stop to homelessness through his role as community development co-ordinator at the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre.

Other recipients were James Coles (senior citizen of the year), Jack Watson and Sophie Greenhalgh (young citizen of the year), ECOllaboration (environment), Dr Bridie Kean (sport and rec), Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club (community) and John Waldron and Toni Eggleston (creative).

A business that provides chef-prepared ready-to-eat meals has reached the milestone of providing 5000 meals for the homeless and vulnerable.

The Hatted Chef, which started during the pandemic with an idea from Mooloolaba restaurant The Dock, has provided the meals to Sunny Street to give to those in need.

Sunny Street’s Dr Nova Evans says homeless people need a whole range of support, but they are also vulnerable.

“It is such a relief to be able to provide meals to those who perhaps haven’t eaten in the last 24 hours,” she says.

Pictured is executive chef Chris Sell.

Alexandra Headland

0412 254 080 I principal@davidwisesolicitor.com.au www.davidwisesolicitor.com.au

follow the "Sunny Coast Times" on facebook and instagram

how to reach for Learn the stars

Cooroibah

Join the activities

Ready for play

Members of the Alexandra Headland Mixed Probus Club have celebrated the club’s 31st anniversary as well as the changeover of committee for the coming Probus year.

This new year promises a wider variety of activities, luncheons, coffee mornings and dinners shared by funloving retirees ‘living their best life’.

Monthly meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at the Maroochydore RSL with a variety of speakers together with an opportunity to enjoy morning tea and warm fellowship. Guests are welcome, phone Geoff on 0490 456 191.

Pictured are Des and Lorraine Newman, Bee Driscoll and Daphne Jeffreys.

Disability support charity Sunshine Butterflies has launched its new accessible playground for individuals of all abilities.

The upgraded space at the charity’s 15-acre facility in Cooroibah offers an accessible nest swing, soft-fall surfaces throughout, wheelchair-accessible paths and ramps, an adventure treehouse, waterplay features, sand and mud play and sensory activity panels for fine motor skills.

“The adventure playground offers a space for play as well as social and learning experiences for children of all abilities,” CEO and founder Leanne Walsh says.

Email admin@sunshinebutterflies.com.au to find out about playgroups, events and group bookings.

Does your kid say...

• • • •

It’s too hard! I’m dumb!

Everyone is mean to me!

No-one will be my friend!

I’m bored! I hate school!

curious kids don’t!

Can your kid...

QUICK CATCH-UP Throwback to the ’40s

Tickets are now on sale for a themed ball celebrating Victory in the Pacific to be held at The Events Centre in Caloundra on August 13. Organised by Caloundra RSL Sub Branch, the event will re-create the 1940s though music and dance. For tickets visit events.humanitix.com/victoryin-the-pacific-ball. It will follow the unveiling of bronze statues at Kings Beach earlier that day.

Book sale returns

The annual St Vincent de Paul three-day book and plant fundraising sale will be held at the Kawana Catholic Community Centre, Nanyima St, Buddina (opposite Kawana library), on May 20-21 from 8am-3pm and May 22 from 9am-1pm. There will be books for every age group, jigsaws, DVDs, CDs and more, plus many indoor and outdoor plants. For more information phone Maria on 0427 181 089.

• • • •

Express thoughts & feelings easily?

Understand & manage their emotions?

Think positively & for themselves?

Deal with peer pressure & stress?

curious kids can!

INVEST in your child’s emotional intelligence

www.CuriousKidsCan.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

21

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hinterland ignored again Well isn’t that wonderful, a heavy rail track promised by the Morrison government that will connect Beerwah to Maroochydore and improve connectivity to Brisbane.

Oh, and stations expected at Kawana, Caloundra and Maroochydore.

Once again Nambour is ignored, left out of the equation – it’s always about the Coast and stuff the Hinterland, eh Scomo?

Adding insult to injury is this quote from MP Andrew Wallace: “This additional $1.6 billion delivers on our number one priority of bringing heavy rail to the Coast, connecting the Hinterland and our coastal communities.”

How exactly does the Hinterland benefit from this?

How is this ‘connecting’ the Hinterland? What a load of rubbish.

I know where my vote won’t be going.

James Elliot, Nambour Heights

The international threat In attempting to whip up a “khaki” election campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton are doing their best to beat up fear about threats to national security.

Years ago, they were warned by the defence chiefs that climate change is a growing threat to our nation’s security.

These past two years we have seen the impact of the

pandemic not only on our health and economy, but also the disruption to global supply chains – and it is not over yet.

The full effects of the Ukraine-Russia war have yet to bite even though we are seeing rising oil prices reflected at the bowser.

Our nation’s sovereignty is under threat by our reliance on international supply chains. We need to become more self-reliant, particularly with energy, and it needs to be renewable – that is solar, wind and batteries. We need to rebuild our manufacturing capability and not rely so heavily on imports.

We can be a self-reliant country, we just need the leadership to take us forward. We can’t afford any more lost years of inaction, the world is changing fast.

Robyn Deane, Bli Bli

We would love you to share your thoughts and experiences with us and our readers.

Email editor@sunnycoastmedia.com.au.

Please include your name, location and contact details (for verification, not to be published).

Letters may be edited. As we are a monthly publication, we are unable to print timesensitive letters.

Trivia questions

SHADOWS a heavy mist lies on the sea the silence of morning follows shadows of men on skis in the filtered light they etch their way across the face of a wave incise entice it to break lean back in the foam furrow the shore is there time to turn turn again against waves skis try to wrestle free buffeted in the eddying edge like the boys they are not they leap on their lives race to the rising swell keep the morning ahead crack the walled water shadows follow once more

Crossword Across

with Allan Blackburn

8

Sluggishness (7)

10

Retaliation (8)

13 Recently married (5-3) 14 Close mental application (13) 17 Allergic rhinitis (3,5) 20 Seldom (6) 22 Emitting a strong odour (6) 23 Unfasten (8) 24 Experience (7) 25 Throw loosely about (7) Down

Crossword answers:

1. Jenny, 2. Athletics, 3. True, 4. Hair-loss treatment, 5. Australian, 6. Two, 7. Blood, 8. South Australia, 9. Franc, 10. TV, 11. Phone booth, 12. Caribbean, 13. Hunter, 14. Seven, 15. Rotary International, 16. Two, 17. April, 18. Lizard, 19. Shanghai, 20. Princess Anne.

Trivia answers: APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Person who mends shoes (7)

12 Improvise (4,2)

Across: 7 Cobbler, 8 Inertia, 10 Reprisal, 11 Refuse, 12 Make do, 13 Newly-wed, 14 Concentration, 17 Hay fever, 20 Rarely, 22 Smelly, 23 Unbutton, 24 Undergo, 25 Scatter.

22

7

11 Decline (6)

Down: 1 Topeka, 2 Aberdeen, 3 Seashore, 4 Andrew, 5 Crafty, 6 Einstein, 9 Planetarium, 14 Charming, 15 Aerobics, 16 Irritate, 18 Fillet, 19 Voyage, 21 Loosen.

1. In the song North to Alaska, what is the girl’s name?

2. In what sporting field did Matt Shirvington make his mark?

3. True or false: incisor teeth of rabbits grow continuously throughout life?

4. What kind of service does the Australian company Ashley and Martin provide?

5. What nationality is rapper Iggy Azalea?

6. What is the minimum number of players in a standard game of Snakes and Ladders?

7. The classification system known as ABO is used for what?

8. In what Australian state or territory is the Clare Valley?

9. Before the Euro, what was France’s currency unit?

10. Colloquially, what is known as the “idiot box”?

11. What structure did Clark Kent reputedly use to change into Superman?

12. What is the correct spelling of the sea around Jamaica: Caribean, Caribbean, Carribean?

13. What river is spanned by the Hexham Bridge near Newcastle?

14. In the old measurement system, how many feet are in 84 inches?

15. Which community service organisation has the motto “Service above self”?

16. How many state borders does the Indian Pacific train cross in one entire leg?

17. What is the first month of the calendar to have 30 days?

18. What kind of living thing is a gecko?

19. What word can be a huge city in China and also a slingshot?

20. Which member of the British royal family is the Princess Royal?

© John Bradley

1

Capital of Kansas (6)

2

Scotland's "Granite City" (8)

3

Land along the coast (8)

4

One of the 12 apostles (6)

5

Cunning (6)

6

Physicist (8)

9

Astronomical model (11)

14 Delightful (8) 15 Vigorous exercises (8) 16 Annoy (8) 18 Boneless slice of meat (6) 19 Journey (6) 21 Make less tight (6)

POETS' CORNER

L.A.T.T.E.

RAINY DAY

THE WALERS

(Lamenting About Tom To Ebony/ Girlfriends Talking Over Coffee)

Sitting on my verandah listening to the rain I can hear the distant horn of a train, The day has again dawned wet and dreary This weather makes me feet quite teary.

Horses of war, strong, dependable With flowing brown mane and tails of lengthy coarse hair Geldings chosen for work as mini machines Shipped to a foreign land To endure heat, dust, and gun fire Commotion never previously experienced.

During the Western campaign As men fought continuously The horses walked through the endless desert Saddled often for seven days and seven nights At times with no water and no food The drama of war did not faze them Led by their devoted exhausted handlers They continued their mission stoic and uncomplaining Exhibiting determination and Aussie grit

Yeah he phones me up in the ache of the night says he can't sleep cause I'm in his thoughts, he's fishing for the line that might sound right so I know I'm in deep when I'm feeling caught,

At first these downpours were very welcome But now with the flooding I feel kind of numb, Too many homes are underwater Including that of my good friend's daughter.

Yeah he comes over with that Edward Cullen look then slips on his words so I sense he's been drinking, when he says I love you I know I'm off the hook cause I might be tired but I'm wise to his thinking, Yeah he's cute with that dark hair, those almond eyes but he's wearing a hole in my sympathy, so I say go home, then he uses all of his tricks an’ tries to apologise by quoting several lines from some romantic poem, Yeah I know I should end it an’ I'm just being weak cause like Tom's not serious to him love's just a game, Ebony gives me that knowing look where we don't need to speak sips her latte, laughs, says yeah guys, they're all the same © Colin Holmes

The yard is soaked and the grass knee high I get out of my chair and heave a great sigh, The mowing is yet again put on hold And my walls have started growing mould.

Another idle day of sitting around Hour after hour of listening to the sound Of rain beating down upon the roof So very glad my house is water proof.

The clouds are starting to break I think it's time for the sun to awake, No, wait, that was just a false hope Oh how am I ever going to cope?

ONWARD AND UPWARD Yearning and struggling, for such is our life, We stumble, we fall, but always we lift Ourselves up, yet only to begin once again.

Hoping this time, that with luck we might gain A step up, maybe two – is that too much to ask?

Is such an expectation too unrealistic to seek?

The ongoing battles, the challenges faced Can make one's life hell – for that is a fact Of existence – but then again through it all, A glimmer of hope, a promise to be held, That the sun will yet shine – a most luminous ray, Albeit hid amidst a Cumulus day.

So forward we crawl, but with heads held up high, With our feet on the ground, and our eyes to the sky. © Bill Jackson

DOMESTIC PAINTING & MAINTENANCE Over 40 yrs of professional local experience Inside/Outside | Driveway Clean/Paint General Maintenance & Repairs

Call For Your FREE Quote Today!

Steve Gastaldin - 0407 946 061 sgastaldin@gmail.com ABN:16667424540 | BSA Lic: 1091741 | MPA Mem No: 162207

When the war was over their task was completed Trusting their human comrades As they were taken on their last walk Their faces were covered Never to see their home soil again With heavy hearts their constant companions On instruction from the authorities Shot them between the eyes Only one horse was returned to Australia.

The phone rings, it's the children again They're worse than a group of fussy old men, I tell them I'm fine, going to turn on the TV And spend the day playing my Nintendo Wii.

One hundred and thirty-five horses taken to war were called ‘Walers’ because they came from New South Wales.

The Bloomfield breed continues to this day.

© Irene Schmidt

Send us your poems – we love receiving your creative work!

To submit your work OUR SPECIALIST RUBBISH REMOVAL SERVICE takes away, for possible publication redundant, dis-used, obsolete and worn out furniture and email editor@sunny white goods. We can take away just one item or several items. coastmedia.com.au.

We also clear internal space in readiness for a property sale in respect of deceased estates.

(Conditions apply).

Word limit per poem (due space) is 300 words.

We are an activetoenterprise engaged in recycling when condition allows.

2-GO Clear-Space! The Clear-Choice!

MONDAY to FRIDAY 6am to 6pm (extended hours by arrangement)

RUBBISH CLUTTER CLEARED Inc. Fridges, beds and lounges etc For GOOD SERVICE AND FREE QUOTE

PHONE NOW 0477 772 138

© Jillian Harland

ISOLATED GRAVE There’s no marble to mark the spot, or to convey the who, or why, or how, just a simple cross, overgrown with rubbish, in a little fenced plot.

Even the shaded glade it used to be is now replaced by a dead tree.

But within its lifeless, tangled grove, this symbol of undisturbed, quiet repose looks somehow more secure than the neatly manicured lines of bronze confidently placed to endure.

Single Colu Business ca

© Mary Johnson

WANTED CARAVANS & MOTORHOMES we come to you FINANCE PAID OUT For a fast no hassle sale call Joe for a price! 0418 876 395 APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

23

CREATIVE CUTS SUNNY COAST TIMES

Festival connecting youths M usical trailblazer and advocate Jaguar Jonze will headline the inaugural Nurture Festival, a community-based event providing a platform for youths on the Coast to reach out and connect.

The festival will be the first of its kind on the Coast, providing an affordable and fun day of music and activities.

It will also showcase a range of community organisations that engage with anyone who is looking for support with suicide prevention, loneliness and isolation, eating disorders, domestic violence, child sexual assault, bullying and the harmful impact of social media.

“Recording music and creating my music videos is one thing, but being on stage and sharing in a personal moment with my fans and music lovers is something else entirely,” says Jonze, who launched her new single Little Fires at the Eurovision Australia Decides event in February. “I can’t wait to bring that energy to stages around the country and finally be able to perform for those who have supported me through some of the toughest times in my career.” endED co-founder and chairman Mark Forbes is one of a handful of people who started putting plans in place for the event well over a year ago, but is quick to impress that this is the festival the Sunshine Coast community has built.

“The Nurture Festival has pulled together a number of passionate businesses, organisations and individuals who want to see a change in how our youth are being supported,”

24

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

he says. “The Sunshine Coast is a very supportive and nurturing community and so it has been no surprise that we have seen so many people who want to be involved.”

Country music singer Jade Holland, who is an ambassador for Nurture Festival and also the Mental Health Foundation, knows all too well how important it is to seek the help you need.

“I was only 21 and had been severely let down with fake tickets to the UK to take up a lucrative recording contract,” she says. “I experienced such severe depression that I shut myself away for an entire year, gave up music and didn’t hum a single tune; I was drinking a bit and not living a life at all. Dad was the one who sat me down and told me that seeking help was nothing to be ashamed of and that he had in fact done the same thing only 10 years earlier.”

The artists selected for this year’s Nurture Festival all have a tale to tell and will be joined by a range of community organisations facilitating fun activities and sharing information.

Joining Jonze and Holland will be Soap, Sari Abbot, Mayah, Jess Irvine, Pottsy and Aspey Jones. There will also be a Talk Tent providing an informative and fun series of chats, as well as local schools performing dance and music routines.

“We want to provide a safe space for youth to open up and have a conversation about how they may be feeling and provide them with connections they need to move forward,” Mr Forbes says.

Nurture Festival headliner Jaguar Jonze 

“We know there is no single solution to improving someone’s mental health, but we know that when people feel like they have a ‘team’ of supporters and have the opportunity to talk things through, someone struggling is less likely to act.”

Nurture Festival is on May 7 at Lake Kawana. Gates open at 10am and the first act kicks off at 11am, with Jonze to close the event by 10pm. Tickets are $5, visit nurturefestival. com.au.

CREATIVE CUTS

Fashion in the spotlight

A

spectacular fusion of sculptural art and haute couture is expected to dazzle an audience of 1000 people at the Australian Wearable Art Festival on Saturday, May 21, at Venue 114 in Bokarina.

The event attracts the who’s who of fashion and art, and will include a 25m catwalk where 42 national and international works will be showcased. This year’s festival ambassador is larger-than-life Brisbane media personality Damien Anthony Rossi, also know as ‘Mr Hollywood in Oz’.

“Having been raised in a showbiz family in Tinseltown, the biggest night of the year was the Oscars and I loved watching the amazing outfits of celebrities on the red carpet,” he says.

“I know that with the high calibre of artists and designers involved, this year’s Australian Wearable Art Festival is going to give us a taste of this fabulous finery and treat us to something very special.”

Event curator Wendy Roe says guests will be immersed in a world of wearable art.

“For the uninitiated, expect the wow factor – a fusion of Met Gala Ball meets Paris Fashion Week and everything in between,” she says.

The four main categories for the show are avant garde, trashion, sustainability and floriana. This year’s judges are acclaimed Sydney-based wearable artist Peter Dwyer, fashions on the field darling Mildred Ellwood and the Coast’s own haute couture specialist Judy Copely.

The festival has expanded to two shows this year – a matinee at 1pm and the gala show where winners are announced starting at 6pm. Tickets for the afternoon seating start at $50 and the gala event tickets start at $75. For tickets or to find out more visit australianwearableart.com.au.

Caloundra

Australian Wearable Art Festival ambassador Damien Anthony Rossi

SHORT CUTS Royal treatment

A concert celebrating 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign will be held at Buderim’s Lifepointe Baptist Church by the 30-piece Brisbane Salvation Army Band on May 10 from 10.30am. For more details email kevinbrown198@gmail.com.

Gardens inspire

Eighteen artists from Friends of Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens and/or the Botanical Artists Society of Queensland will host their Inspired by Nature exhibition at the botanic gardens in Tanawha. It is open between 10am and 2pm from April 20-29 (closed Anzac Day). Visit friendsofmaroochybotanicgardens.org.au.

Welcome return

The Scream Jazz Orchestra is a traditional 18-piece big band that plays a variety of swing and jazz music, as well as more contemporary numbers. The band is returning to Palmwoods Community Hall on May 29 from 2pm. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Tribute to competition

Prepare to laugh, cringe and be dazzled by BATS Theatre Company’s Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision, a chaotically funny musical homage to the famous song contest. It is at the Buderim War Memorial Hall from April 22-30, tickets are $24-$30 from batstheatre.com.

Trio of talents

Artists Roslyn Elms, Tessa Tamvakis and Del Morrison will host an exhibition at the Kawana Island Meeting Place from April 30-May 1. It is open from 9am-3pm. For more information email Del at hello@delmorrisonart. com.au or Roslyn at info@littlewombatgallery.com.au.

Palmwoods/Cooroy

Coolum/Mooloolaba

Art prize returns

Romantic renditions

Two concerts, one stage

Entries are open for the 2022 Sunshine Coast Art Prize, one of the most prestigious regional 2D art prizes in Australia.

The awards offer a prize pool of more than $40,000 in cash and prizes, including the major cash prize of $25,000 sponsored by Argon Law and Sunshine Coast Council.

There are four prize categories: three professionally judged categories and the popular people’s choice award.

This year’s judge is QAGOMA contemporary Australian art curator Ellie Buttrose.

“The Sunshine Coast Art Prize is the flagship event for the Sunshine Coast’s Regional Gallery in Caloundra, attracting entries from emerging and established artists across the nation,” Arts Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowksi says.

Submissions can be made at gallery.sunshinecoast.qld. gov.au with entries closing at 5pm on May 9.

The 40 artworks selected as finalists will be exhibited at the Caloundra Regional Gallery from August 26-October 16.

Pictured is 2021 Sunshine Coast Art Prize winner Marian Tubbs with The Farm.

Pacific Chamber Players’ second concert series for 2022 is an all-romantic affair featuring works for woodwind and piano.

From 1830-1900 music had a subjective bent with an emphasis on sound and the expression of one’s feelings. The ensemble’s program will include works by French, German and English composers such as the gorgeous Caprice Op 79 and Bassoon Sonata by Saint-Saens, Schumann’s highly expressive Romances Op 94 for clarinet and Elgar’s very English Six Promenades.

Joining Pacific Chamber Players will be mother and daughter flautists Sharelle and Jazzi Guest (pictured) performing Francois Doppler’s Andante and Rondo Op 25.

Romantic Illusions will be held at 2.30pm on May 8 at Palmwoods Memorial Hall and May 15 at Cooroy Memorial Hall. Both concerts will be preceded by a talk from former ABC presenter Nancy Tow at 2pm.

Tickets are $30 adult, $28 concession or $10 for student from pacificchamberplayers.com or at the door.

Celebrate the combined talents of two of Australia’s finest singer-songwriters, Karl S. Williams and Shannon Sol Carroll, on their Sunshine Coast tour this May, including dates in Coolum and Mooloolaba as well as the Hinterland.

Worldly, soulful, insightful and inspiring, Shannon and Karl’s stories, songs and sounds transport, transfix and transform. Presented as two solo acts, these autumn shows will warm the soul.

Karl (pictured left) is a singer, songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, visual artist and poet for whom music is an urgent calling, and the solution is to love more.

Shannon is a singer-songwriter who has performed and collaborated with a swag of acclaimed artists including Bernard Fanning, Resin Dogs, Shawn Lee, Angus Stone and many more.

The tour is presented by local performing arts company Red Chair.

The duo plays Coolum Civic Centre on May 14 and Saltwater Eco Tours at Mooloolaba on May 15, as well as Pomona, Maleny and Eudlo from May 11-13. For full dates visit redchair.com.au.

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

25

CREATIVE CUTS

Forest Glen

Noosa

Musical genius

All kinds of art

Topical performance

With a rich musical heritage as a member of the famous Russell family, Helen Russell is a bassist, vocalist, arranger, musical director and educator based in Brisbane. Though you may not have heard her name before, she is the go-to bass player for many touring artists, playing for everyone from James Morrison to Deborah Conway to Katie Noonan.

She has worked extensively as a musical director and arranger on productions for La Boite Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre and the Queensland Music Festival, and was an original board member for the Brisbane Cabaret Festival.

Her latest venture is to step out of the shadows and begin featuring herself as jazz vocalist, combing the standard repertoire for neglected gems.

Helen is performing her new show at the Jazz Sessions at Glass House Brewery from 6pm on May 8, joined by Jamie Clark on guitar, Josh Hatcher on sax and Aaron Jansz on drums.

For dinner and show tickets visit stickytickets.com.au/ thejazzsessions.

Buderim Craft Cottage’s annual Mixed Media Art Exhibition is an opportunity to view, connect with and purchase art by talented artists who are part of the renowned hub of creativity.

Mixed media is just one of 13 artisan groups at the notfor-profit community association, which is dedicated to the practice and promotion of art and craft. The mixed media artists embrace pushing the boundaries from traditional art to experimenting in any medium. Members may work with one medium or several on the one piece. They can use everything from watercolour to acrylic, oil, printmaking, collage, pencils, charcoal, pastels.

Whether you want bold or soft, abstract or realism, you will find something you love. All works in the exhibition are created by imaginative artists exploring and connecting art to people. The group includes both established and emerging artists.

The exhibition is on between 10am and 4pm from May 26-29. Buderim Craft Cottage is at 5 Main St. Visit buderimcraftcottage.com.au.

Pictured is Gaye Cook’s Boab Sunset.

Amir is seeking asylum in a city out of sight. Greeted by some, rejected by others, will he ever be accepted as one of them?

Inspired by the real-life story of the Murugappan family from Biloela, Sewer Rat is a social commentary on refugees in Australia. It is a play about how conversations, compassion and community will get society further than debate and dispute.

Using anthropomorphic characters and an astute political eye, the third play in the award-winning Rogue Toad trilogy written by Snap Crackle Theatre’s Tania Nash (pictured) is a comedy about a tragedy of the modern world.

According to the Amnesty International’s Australian Human Rights Barometer 2021, Australians want an end to offshore detention. Sewer Rat aims to defuse the flame of this debate.

It is an immersive experience with the actors working within the seated audience, encouraging rapport throughout the show.

Sewer Rat will be performed at a secret Noosa Junction location on May 13-14. Tickets are $25, visit anywhere.is/ event/sewer-rat/2022-05-13.

Noosa

26

Buderim

Nambour

Maroochydore

Ethereal beauty

Soul collective

Jazz celebration

“An evening of beautiful, uplifting music.”

That’s the promise of music director Adrian King and Noosa Chorale when they present Gabriel Faure’s Requiem and Karl Jenkins’ inspiring Stabat Mater at The J at Noosa Junction on May 27 and 28.

“I believe the Requiem is truly an inspirational work of art as you can hear from the calm, lightness and serenity throughout the piece,” Adrian says. “Unlike many requiems, the work is imbued with a sense of warmth and optimism. It’s impossible not to be moved by its ethereal beauty.

“With Stabat Mater, Karl Jenkins has managed to combine very different styles of music, from classical to pop, and to draw on different cultures from around the globe.

“We are also fortunate to have three outstanding soloists: soprano Annika Hinrichs and baritone Timothy Newton, who will sing the Requiem; and mezzo soprano Shirin Majd (pictured) for the Stabat Mater.”

For tickets visit noosachorale.org.au or phone 5329 6560.

Peace Run Records has programmed its first Nambour’s Got Soul concert featuring Dried Spider, VYN and Andrea Kirwin.

Dried Spider has been steadily building a fan base in Australia and the US over the past seven years. Led by guitarist and songwriter Matty Witney (pictured), the quartet’s music weaves elements of soul, folk, improvisation and psych into a tapestry of soulful song.

Joining them will be VYN (pronounced ‘vine’), a project of Jeunae Rogers, who writes songs of veneration and lament, in kinship with nature and the cosmos.

Kirwin, meanwhile, is an Australian-Fijian soul artist and producer based in Nambour who has released five albums under her own independent label Peace Run Records since 2013. Her sound can best be described as 'island soul'.

Nambour’s Got Soul is on April 23 at the Black Box Theatre, 80 Howard St, Nambour. Doors open at 6.30pm and there will be a licensed bar. Tickets are $20 plus booking fee, visit eventbrite.com.au and search for Nambour’s Got Soul.

Image by Malcolm Riordan.

Award-winning jazz singer and educator Ingrid James will help the Jazz and Blues Collective mark UNESCO’s International Jazz Day by celebrating the great American and Brazilian songbooks.

James will pay homage to some of the great American songwriters including Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Henry Mancini, and Brazilians such as Antonio Carlos Jobim and Nascimento, whose songs have stood the test of time both in the 20th and 21st centuries.

International Jazz Day (April 30) was created in 2011 order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe, bringing together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics and jazz enthusiasts.

James performs with the stellar line-up of John Reeves (piano), Andrew Shaw (bass), Paul Hudson (drums) and Martha Baartz (saxes/flute).

The show is at Millwell Road Community Centre, Maroochydore, on May 1 from 1.30-4pm. Tickets are $26 or $24 for seniors from ticketebo.com.au/jazz-blues-collective.

For inquiries phone Graeme on 0417 633 734.

APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

AUDIOLOGIST

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Sunshine Coast Audiology Emryn and Anita are experienced audiologists who have started a new independent audiology clinic to care for all your hearing needs. Conveniently located in Sippy Downs. Ph. 5378 2226. www.sunshinecoastaudiology.com.au

TRADE AND SERVICES ASPHALT DRIVEWAYS

Katherine Bongiorno - Air Maintain Easy Pty Ltd. Experienced Airbnb Property Manager.

Airbnb Management, Cleaning and Styling Services. Turnkey furnishing packages are also available, perfect for new homeowners looking to Airbnb. 0407 418 170 airmaintaineasy@gmail.com www.airmaintaineasy.com.au

Book your boost business listing online and get 1 month FREE advertising

COMMUNITY NOTICES HEATING - SALES AND INSTALLATION

Roll Formed Driveways Roll Formed Driveways provides a range of asphalt, bitumen and road base to residential, commercial and civil customers. Trust us to complete your project. Call us for a free measure and quote. PHONE (07) 5446 7104

SMOKE ALARMS

Mr Stoves Mr Stoves have been proudly building Australian made wood heaters in Queensland since 1980. We are your local wood and gas heating specialists and can provide both supply and installation. mrstoves.com.au

TREE SERVICES

BC SMOKE ALARMS Installation of the highest quality lithium alarms that are Government compliant.

Call Bradley Campbell - 0480 372 181 Stay Alive!

BRM Tree Services Locally owned and operated, qualified and insured. Tree to stump, we do it all. Tree removal and pruning, mulching, stump grinding. Free quotes call Tim 0401 441 945

SELLING, BUYING OR RENTING?

COMMUNITY SERVICES Caloundra Church of Christ Are You a Christian? Did you know that the Bible defines a Christian in very different ways than man? According to God, a Christian is one who has heard and believe the Gospel (Rom. 10: 17), repented of his or her sin (Luke 13: 3) confessed the name of Jesus before men (Acts 8: 37) and been baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2: 38) Want to know more? Get in touch with us! Len 0432 617 107

Book your boost business listing online and get 1 month FREE advertising

SUNNY COAST MEDIA

Ask your agent to market your property in the

Hinterland Times or the Sunny Coast Times HT - 30,000+ monthly readers SCT - 150,000+ monthly readers

For information contact 5499 9049 or email: sales@sunnycoastmedia.com.au APRIL 2022 SUNNY COAST TIMES

27