Sunny Coast Times March 2021

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SUNNY COAST TIMES

FROM CALOUNDRA TO NOOSA

ISSUE #8 March 17 – April 20, 2021

Model citizen From fashion shoots to writing books, studying and charity work, Hannah O’Brien is an impressive young lady Pages 10 – 11

PLUS

We feature the businesses using Qoin Pages 36-39

Riding high

Night angels

Healing power

Nathan Glarvey impresses in the world of cycling

Meet the team keeping our party precincts safe

How Andrea Lopez uses massage to change lives

4–5

6–7

14 – 15

FROM THE EDITOR

Published third Wednesday of the month

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING 5499 9049 Editor

Chris Gilmore chris@sunnycoastmedia.com.au Production Manager

Karen Muir production@sunnycoastmedia.com.au Account Executives

Kath Stuart 0414 977 979 kath@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

Kirsten O’Malley 0405 654 778 kirsten@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

Klinton Jones 0417 211 497 klinton@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

Dave Mullen 0400 027 900 dave@sunnycoastmedia.com.au

INSIDE THIS MONTH

POWERED

BY PASSION “E

Pedal power

4–5

Party patrol

6–7

Diving in

very horse thinks its own pack heaviest.”

I’ve always liked this proverb, and it’s one I try to keep in mind when I inevitably find myself whingeing about something in my day-to-day life. With two young daughters, sometimes it feels like there’s a lot to whinge about: school runs, doctor visits, vegies to eat, clothes to wash, bills to pay – it can feel endless.

But this month I had the privilege to meet Frank Fiorenza from ChaplainWatch, who runs a team that ensures people at the Coast’s nightspot precincts are safe and well. Frank works through the night every Friday and Saturday, dealing with people who have indulged themselves that little bit too much – then goes home to his four kids.

And here I am whingeing about a day job and two kids!

Even more impressive about Frank is the unassuming way he goes about his work. He is obviously passionate about helping people, and even as I walk with him on Maroochydore’s Ocean St during the day, the friendly greetings from people he passes shows the impact he’s already made in the community. You can read his story on pages 6-7.

Elsewhere this month we have stories on talented cyclist Nathan Glarvey (p4-5), soil expert Markus Kerkdijk (p12-13), healer Andrea Lopez (p14-15) and more, as well as our usual community news and Creative Cuts sections, plus all our terrific monthly columnists. This month we’ve added a history column from Genealogy Sunshine Coast, which hopefully will evoke some memories from our wonderful readers.

There’s so much to try to get in, and unfortunately I can’t always fit everything, so apologies if you missed out this time. Keep sending me your story ideas, events, letters and poems – I promise I’ll try to get you in!

EDITOR

8

Fashion force

10 – 11

Soils ain't soils

12 – 13

Magic of massage

14 – 15

Food, drink and dine

16 – 17 Education

22 – 25 Community news

28 – 29

Chris

Letters, puzzles and Poets’ Corner

30 – 31

Gilmore

Creative Cuts

32 – 35

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Sport

50 – 51 Cover image: Miss Universe Australia Queensland finalist Hannah O’Brien Image by Olivia Henning

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Rocking out for charity

Youturn CEO Andrew Anderson with Sam and Tim Aitken

by CHRIS GILMORE

T

he brothers behind popular Sunny Coast band Sametime are bringing together some of the best musical talents from around the region to help out local not-for-profit organisation Youturn Youth Support.

Sam and Tim Aitken are the brains behind the Youturn IT UP! concert, which will hit the stage at NightQuarter on Sunday, April 11. The all-day ‘mini-festival’ will feature triple j favourite Tia Gostelow and Brisbane-based Shag Rock with their streaming hit Sunbleached Girl, alongside upcoming local bands Toxic Fox, Euca and Sailing In Space. And of course Sametime.

The brothers said they were thrilled to be able to put the concert together for a worthy cause.

“We’re very, very excited about it. We’re so glad we finally get to tell people about it and it’s out there, with the tickets on sale now,” Tim says. “It’s something we’ve been working on for the last couple of months so it’s really good that it’s finally coming together.”

Tewantin-based Youturn Youth Support started 30 years ago and focuses on child safety, homelessness and mental health across southern Queensland.

Sam and Tim, who are ambassadors for the charity, said they wanted to use their profile to show their support.

“We heard about (Youturn) and the help that they do for teenagers and young people around the Sunshine Coast that are experiencing homelessness or find themselves in unsafe environments, and we wanted to raise awareness of it in

any way we could,” Sam says. “Luckily, being musicians, one of the ways we could help was putting on together a concert, so we’re very excited.”

The siblings are no strangers to charity events. They have played numerous fundraising gigs, and in 2016 staged a concert at Aussie World for two local families with sick children, raising $20,000. So what inspires their charitable work?

“From a very young age we were raised to help people in whatever way that we could,” Tim says. “We realised pretty young that our music can help people and our reach can help bring attention to causes people might not know about, and so we’ve been doing charity work since we started as a band. I think one of our first gigs might have been a charity gig – it’s something we love doing.”

Sam adds: “We used to busk on the street from the ages of nine and 12 and as soon as we started we were always putting our case out in front of us with a sign to help people raise money if they needed surgery or for charity. We put together a charity concert once before and it worked, so we went, ‘Why not do it again, but this time much bigger.’”

Youturn IT UP! will also mark a return to NightQuarter for Sametime.

“We actually played the opening night of NightQuarter, which was great – we’re really good friends with (owners) Ian (van de Woude) and Michelle (Christoe),” Tim says. "We started off playing at NightQuarter when we were younger when it

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was on the Gold Coast. We started off busking there, and then years passed, and then they moved to the Sunshine Coast. We headlined the opening night, so that was really cool to see how us as a band has evolved, and NightQuarter as a venue has evolved as well, and it’s awesome that it’s on the Sunny Coast, because that’s our home.”

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Pedalling with great purpose Nathan Glarvey doesn’t let his autism slow him down in his cycling races – in fact, it’s his superpower

by SEANNA CRONIN

W

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hen Nathan Glarvey sets his sights on something, there’s nothing that can stop him.

The decorated AWII (athletes with an intellectual impairment) competitor has only been a racing cyclist for the past two years but already holds several Australian records in the sport.

At the road nationals in Ballarat in February, he won two gold medals and two Australian titles in the 12km time trial and 40km road race events.

At 43, he’s the oldest rider in the category but still manages to beat competitors half his age.

“The road race was a close one. The other Nathan (Victorian athlete Nathan Broeren) just stuck on my back wheel – it was like we were tandem riders,” says Nathan at his home in Cooroy, where he lives independently with his Jack Russell terrier Billy thanks to the help of carer Paul Clarke.

Nathan has been active from a young age, says his father Dave Glarvey.

“His mum would say to me, ‘Can you take him out for a run to tire him out?’” he says.

“When we lived in the Southern Highlands and he entered into his first athletics race, he broke the Australian record. The Australian Institute of Sport took him up and he was there for about four years, then he went overseas four or five times to represent Australia in athletics.”

Nathan’s love of running – he still holds the national marathon record in the intellectually impaired category – gave way to triathlons and ironman events. He is believed to be the first AWII athlete in the world to have completed an ironman race.

“But it’s the cycling he’s really taken off with,” Dave says.

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Nathan relaxing with his Jack Russell terrier Billy

“His mind is everywhere normally but when he gets on the track he’s able to focus for that time and he doesn’t shift; it’s amazing.”

That’s in no small part due to the sense of belonging Nathan has found with his Lycra tribe.

“The thing with Nathan – and I think this is true for any para-athlete – competing in sport and exercising, it’s a real leveller,” his coach Alex Quirk says.

“He often competes here in Brisbane, where I’m based, against non-intellectually impaired athletes. Sport is the one opportunity where he feels accepted and normal. It’s such a huge driver, and he progresses so quickly because he absolutely loves training and being with a group. It can be difficult for paraathletes to feel a part of something.”

Nathan travels to Brisbane every Saturday to train with the Balmoral Cycling Club both in long-distance road rides and at the ‘Muzz’ (Murarrie Criterium) track at Cannon Hill.

Club member and Cycling Queensland volunteer Pat Kerlin has taken him under his wing.

“I’ve helped out a few cyclists over the past decade and…

Nathan is my new protege,” Pat says.

“The guys at our club have been quite welcoming. Nathan was quite concerned people won’t want to race with him but we’ve had no issues in the past 12 months.”

Nathan with his mentor Pat Kerlin

One of the traits of Nathan’s autism is a laser-like focus and attention to detail. Alex says his dedication to his training and diet have allowed him to rise quickly up through he ranks of the sport.

“He’s progressed really quickly. He’s exceptional and an incredibly disciplined and motivated athlete,” he says. “If you looked at how much Nathan listens to what people say he would be as compliant in his training as an elite athlete. He’s fully deserving of his achievements.”

Pat is Alex’s eyes and ears, helping to keep Nathan on track mentally and physically. The biggest challenge for the duo is to get Nathan to slow down.

“He peaked for road nationals to win the titles and now he has to recover, but he can’t understand why he can’t keep going fast,” Pat says.

“He follows things to the letter of the law, so if he doesn’t do things his world starts to fall apart. I try to come in and give him a different perspective and some reassurance as well.”

Nathan also has the support of his co-workers at Peppers Noosa Resort, where he works part-time.

“Every time I ask my boss Stuart for time off for a race he always gives me the time off,” Nathan says. “It’s the best job I’ve ever worked at. I’ve been there for three years and I want to try to be there when I’m 100 years old.”

Having people to compete against is something we take for granted ... Sometimes para-athletes only have one or two competitors in their category.

Slowing down or retiring aren’t part of Nathan’s plans.

He still has too many things to tick off his bucket list, including competing in the Kona Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, the Noosa Criterium and the gruelling, three-day Noosa Ultraman.

The more immediate goal, though, for Nathan and his support team is to get him to the 2023 Global Games, the pinnacle sporting event for athletes with an intellectual impairment, in France.

Nathan's medal haul from the road nationals in Ballarat

“Having people to compete against is something we take for granted when we’re competing in our various sports,” Alex says of able-bodied athletes. “Sometimes para-athletes only have one or two competitors in their category and they can live in different states. The hope is that more and more paraathletes, whether it be intellectual or physical impairment, take up cycling. It would be great to have a bigger group that would help push everyone forward.”

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Ready to help in hour of need

by CHRIS GILMORE

Frank Fiorenza with the ChaplainWatch mobile patrol car

I

Frank works closely with other personnel in the Safe Night Precincts

people around,” Frank says. “The way we provide support is through multiple levels: from NightSafe, which is our rest and recovery space with a medic; through to Communications, which is a team member that’s trained in receiving information and delegating to the different teams; then we have patrolling teams.

“We’ve got our mobile patrols and our foot patrols. The mobile patrol has a fully equipped vehicle with defibrillator, oxygen, wheelchair and trauma-equipped first aid kit; and

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“Now the community is more comfortable with us, more mental health is coming out. At first it was a just first aid and problem solving, but now it’s more mental health jobs.”

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t’s 10.30 on a Friday night. Most of us are winding down after the week but for Frank Fiorenza, his work is just beginning.

The 37-year-old is the team leader of the Sunny Coast’s ChaplainWatch service, providing help to anyone who needs it on a night out. Its motto is simple: “Watching out for you when good times go bad.”

Anyone out on the town in the Coast’s three Safe Night Precincts – Maroochydore, Mooloolaba or Caloundra – might encounter Frank and his NightWatch team, either doing foot patrols or in their specially marked car doing mobile patrols.

They are ready to help anyone who needs assistance, be it first aid, mental health support, calming aggression, finding lost friends, providing directions and more.

Frank’s team also runs the NightSafe Rest and Recovery centre in Maroochydore’s Ocean St, where a fully qualified paramedic looks after people who are excessively intoxicated or need other types of medical assistance.

The not-for-profit charity began in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley about 20 years ago, but only started operating on the Coast in November. The NightWatch team is on duty from 10.30pm-4am Friday and Saturday nights.

“To start off with, ChaplainWatch was brought about due to alcohol-fuelled violence and the the issues that arose from violent behaviours, mainly in the Valley,” Frank says. “There was minimal support for people on the street at night. It hasn’t really branched out until last year really.”

Since commencing in the first week of November, Frank says the team had already helped more than 500 people by the end of February.

“The style of work that we do is actually something that really is beneficial to the precincts and supporting the

with helping patrons. Frank also checks in on venue staff at night, and on workers in surrounding businesses during office hours as well. The patrol car is also ready to stop at any time, and Frank says the policy is that if they’re in the car, they’re on shift.

“We’re very big on communicating with venues, checking in to see how they’re doing,” Frank says. “We’re not just chaplains for the patrons, we’re also chaplains for the venues, providing support to security, venue staff when they need it as well. We’re big on being chaplains to whoever’s around.”

Frank, a father of four, was a firefighter before moving into counselling and drug and alcohol rehab. He is now in the process of gaining chaplaincy accreditation. He says his ChaplainWatch role is a good mix of being a first responder and helping people mentally.

“I refer to us a first responder but we’re very much of the mindset that we’re here to support in many others ways than just providing a healthcare alternative,” he says. “We’ve had people come in for a chat and to get support, and just walk out and say ‘I’m all good, thanks’. That’s what they needed, just to have a chat. Rather than go to a hospital and sitting in that clinical setting, we’re a little bit more unobtrusive.”

When asked if he always feels safe on the job, Frank responds: “Absolutely.”

“Even when there is aggression and violence, I still feel pretty safe,” he says. “I think we’re pretty well equipped in these scenarios to be able to deal with that. We have quite a few different policies and procedures in place. For example, the pair rule: we’re always in pair, never individuals; if we need to step away if someone feels unsafe, we both step away from the situation. Being chaplains, we learn to debrief on every situation, so every interaction we do as a job, we actually debrief on and so that way we keep each other safe. We are first and foremost chaplains to each other and support each other whenever the opportunity arises.”

“We train in advanced first aid, but we also train in MAPA, which is Managing Aggressive and Potentially Aggressive behaviours. There’s a lot of training there to teach us how to handle aggressive situations … Generally we don’t have too much aggression once we get to know people. There are some

Sunshine Coast ChaplainWatch team members Lisa Ceh and Indiah Collings, team leader Frank Fiorenza and NightSafe medic Declan Matheson

people that just don’t like us, and that comes with the territory.”

ChaplainWatch is a Christian-based organisation but not affiliated to any particular church, and funded by the State Government. The Sunshine Coast team consists of four paid staff – including Frank and a paramedic – plus volunteers. Frank says all team members and volunteers are welcome regardless of their faith.

“This is a big thing for us – we believe that the desire to help someone is there for a purpose, we believe that’s been imparted there for a reason, and we’re not going to hold you back from that because of your faith,” he says. “Obviously

Inside the Rest and Recovery centre on Ocean St

aligning with our DNA, values and integrity (is important) but faith is the main reason many people come on board.

“For us, many people come from different walks of life: we’ve got chefs, accountants; we’ve had volunteers from multiple different faiths – we do get a large population of volunteers from churches that have a desire to help, but then we do get a lot of paramedic students as well. I do have a very big belief there’s a reason you want to help someone, so why hold you back from it?”

Frank says sponsors and volunteers are more than encouraged, and would enable ChaplainWatch to expand even further.

“It’d be amazing if we could get a second car and more funding for more teams,” he says. “A second car would allow us to support Caloundra and Mooloolaba a little bit better, because we are constantly pulled in so many different directions that that car needs to be able to keep on roaming and supporting people.”

Despite the challenges of the role, Frank says it’s been a great experience so far.

“We’re just really enjoying being up here on the Sunshine Coast,” he says. “People have been very responsive to us being here and I want to thank the Sunshine Coast community in general for accepting something a little bit different, a little bit new, and really taking on our mission as well. We are here to support people, but it only really works when everyone is involved. The community has been really receptive to us coming in.”

So what are his tips to people before they go out for a big night?

“One of the big things is just to make sure you’re looking after yourself when using alcohol and substances, to really be aware of what your intake is,” he says. “And look after your friends. Many of the major incidents we come across are from people losing their friends and the mental health issues that come with that. We’re very successful in finding those people and getting them supported, but if it wasn’t for us I think a lot of the time it would be quite a traumatic thing, especially when you’re not in the right frame of mind.”

Visit chaplainwatch.org.au.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

7

SCCUD members, including founder Elliot Peters (fourth from left), with a collection of rubbish from a clean-up event

Deep clean A group of Sunshine Coast volunteers is plunging into our waters to help out the marine environment

by CHRIS GILMORE

F

rom miles of fishing line to kids’ toys, phones, tyres, batteries, bikes, clothes and drug paraphernalia – the members of the Sunshine Coast Clean Up Divers have seen their fair share of strange things submerged in our waters.

SCCUD was formed in August 2018 by Wurtulla resident Elliot Peters, a qualified dive master, who was inspired to start the group from what he calls “a genuine desire to give back to the marine environment that I love and enjoy so much”.

The group is a voluntary initiative to clean up rubbish below the water line on the Coast.

Members focus on removing, reporting and responsibly discarding debris from shallow waterways and shorelines. It has almost 100 participants who either scuba, snorkel or freedive, plus other volunteers who help sort debris, maintain a safety watch on the surface and provide food.

Elliot, 34, says it’s satisfying doing something that benefits the environment.

“Conducting purposeful removal of harmful marine debris is a thoroughly therapeutic and enjoyable way to give back to the community and the planet,” he says.

“By removing harmful debris we are indirectly saving marine life through reduction of entanglement risk and ingestion of harmful plastics, heavy metals and toxic chemicals. We have also directly saved a plethora of marine wildlife from entanglement such as fish, crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, echinoderms such as urchins and sea stars, and holothuria, which are sea cucumbers.”

The group regularly posts on social media about its amazing underwater finds, and recently revealed members had found a vintage white glass Vegemite jar that was made between 1935 and 1945 – its oldest identified item. But the unusual finds don’t stop there.

“We found a plastic KFC bag in 2019 with a logo that was in use during the ’70s or ’80s,” Elliot says.

The total amount of rubbish SCCUD has collected since 2018 is currently sitting at about 1200kg, most of which has been collected from its two focus sites along La Balsa Park at Buddina and Bulcock Beach.

This includes about 10,000 individual debris items, 30 tyres and five marine or car batteries. The most common find by far, however, is fishing gear.

“We have removed 50km of fishing line from sites in the Mooloolah River estuary and Pumicestone Passage,” Elliot says. “There is more to be found on every survey, as sand moves

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and of course more people have snagged line or dumped debris.

“In February we removed approximately 10km of fishing line. This was an appalling amount of fishing line and needs to be a wake-up call to fishos. We see cobwebs across the substrate of fishing line and eventually it collects into balls of condensed line that shellfish and sea squirts are growing on and ingesting.

These then get eaten by fish and other organisms, and the plastic is going up the food chain from there.

“I'd like to see council, or fishing groups and organisations, develop programs that educate people on how to fish responsibly for the site they are fishing and their target catch. For example, learning to use a paternoster rig at a site with jagged rocky substrate can help alleviate snagging. Signage really should be in places where there is a high snagging risk, with tips on how to fish the site or where to get such information.”

SCCUD’s clean-ups are recorded in national and international databases run by Project AWARE and Tangaroa Blue, which are accessed by government and other organisations to help inform policy and actions needed to tackle marine debris.

Elliot, who is currently studying nursing, says everyone needs to do their bit to avoid adding to marine waste.

“Any rubbish left anywhere can end up in our oceans through a multitude of vectors,” he says.

“All waste has to be disposed of properly – that means holding on to your waste when you're out until you find an appropriate receptacle.

“Simply, however, the greatest way we can all avoid adding to marine waste is the Five Rs: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle. Marine waste comes in many forms, including from simply washing and wearing polyester garments, and tyre wear from cars and bikes. Make even the smallest effort to embrace the Five Rs as part of your lifestyle and you'll make a difference.”

As an informal community collaboration the group does not receive funding from any source, but receives in-kind support from participants and the general diving community. It is also supported by The Diving Company, a Landsborough-based business that supplies diving needs, and IGA Buddina, has recently stepped up to provide with food at events.

SCCUD’s next clean-up is on March 20 at Bulcock Beach.

What can volunteers expect?

“A parking nightmare, terrible visibility, heaps of debris and lots of awesome marine life to see – I like to paint an honest picture!” Elliot says.

“What we do and where we do it isn't always for everyone.

Some sites and conditions are accommodating for all levels, but some are for only higher-level scuba divers with demonstrable experience. We look after each other and there is a briefing given about the site, what to expect underwater and how to conduct clean-ups. It's not a simple find-and-grab operation when it comes to underwater clean-ups."

Anyone interested in joining the group, especially if you are certified to scuba, snorkel or freedive, can follow SCCUD at facebook.com/sunshinecoastcleanupdivers.

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Miss Universe Australia Queensland finalist Hannah O’Brien.

Images by Olivia Henning

More than meets the eye She’s a model, influencer and Miss Universe Australia Queensland finalist, but there’s so much more to Coast local Hannah O’Brien, from studying to writing a book for teens and fundraising for a very worthy cause

by REBECCA MUGRIDGE

I

n the din of a noisy shopping centre cafe, plates and cups chink in the background as mumbles of conversation drift in the air and a smoothie machine whizzes fruit about, while a gorgeous brunette serenely smiles. She has that timeless kind of beauty, at home in an old Hollywood film or on a bright, modern-day billboard on the highway.

Smart, compassionate, highly educated and ambitious, the Sunshine Coast’s Miss Universe Australia Queensland finalist Hannah O’Brien is a burst of youthful energy, with a mind for business.

MUA’s motto of ‘Australia's most beautiful, talented, educated and confident young woman’ definitely applies to Hannah. At just 20 years old she has already made an impression on the world around her. Her beauty and talent have seen her work with numerous brands, including the cruelty-free MCoBeauty, a highly successful beauty range found in Woolworths.

She is a confident model who especially loves working with Aussie brands.

“I am proud to be the face of Lionel the Label, which is actually a Sunny Coast brand,” Hannah says. “I’ve been working with owner Chloe for years now. I love it. Right now, on my Instagram (is) where you will also find me doing lots of beauty collaborations, and I have a year-long contract with a wonderful haircare brand.”

For many people this type of influencer work is a full-time career, but Hannah includes big goals and a 10-year-plan alongside her modelling career. Currently in her final year

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of a business university degree, she is already contemplating a second degree and wants to open a business on the Coast.

“I have always been interested in business,” she says. “I did business as a subject all through high school and my parents owned a business when I was growing up, Get Fresh at Cotton Tree. I just thought it was a really good grounding course to do because marketing is everywhere. Business and marketing are all through modelling, it is in every career. And I love being creative and the behind-the-scenes work.”

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Wellways works with individuals, families and the community to help them imagine and achieve better lives. We have been supporting carers for the past 40 years and continue to do this across Queensland and the New South Wales regions of South West Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains via Carer Gateway. Carer Gateway is a national service funded by the Australian Government.

A serial multi-tasker, during her time studying and modelling she has launched and run her own small business and during COVID lockdown she wrote a book aimed at teens.

To Hannah, what you do and focus on does help you get what you want out of life.

“Life waits for no one – you need to have a plan, have dreams and set some big goals for yourself,” she says. “If you don’t believe you can do it, you are just telling yourself you can’t.”

Modelling is an integral part of Hannah’s life and she loves how the industry is evolving, becoming more inclusive and how much more involved models are with the brands they work with now.

“Modelling has changed so much even in the years I have been in the industry,” she says. “There has been a lot of exciting changes.”

Modelling since she was 14, Hannah is in the afterglow of celebrating being a MUA finalist. Past finalists include the likes of Jennifer Hawkins, Rachel Finch and Kerry Anne Wells. For Hannah, it’s an exhilarating experience and honour that she hopes will give her the opportunity to network, have some fantastic experiences and help a special charity that is very close to her heart.

“Currently, thanks to Miss Universe Australia, I am fundraising for ToyBox Australia (a charity dedicated to supporting sick and disadvantaged children),” she says. “This year we are working together with Camp Quality.

We get to work with the Ronald McDonald kids and the Camp Quality kids. I love helping others so I am really excited, it is such a great opportunity. Plus seeing all the kids, I can’t wait.

“Cancer is such a horrible thing. A lot of

my family have had cancer – my grandparents passed away from cancer and my dad just had radiation for cancer on his arms. It is something very close to me that I am very passionate about.

“This is why I love MUA – it isn’t just about beauty; it has this enormous other side, helping people. And that’s what I want to take out of it: the power of helping others. I grew up (having) such a privileged life and I know others haven’t had that.

“When I was in Year 12, I volunteered at Lifeline in Kunda Park every Saturday and I loved it. I was so glad I could help people. I guess I have always been socially minded; you get so much out of helping other people.”

Her MUA goal is to raise $5500, saying “it is a pretty big goal, but I think it’s doable”.

Hannah says being a MUA finalist, she is aware of being a role model too.

“I went through a really tough time a few years ago and now that I am here and everything turned out and I am happy, I really want to help other girls,” she says. “If I can be the reason someone is happier than they were yesterday, that makes me happy.

“Girls, especially in modelling, just doubt themselves. Girls often think that they are just a little bit different so don’t put themselves out there, even if it is their dream, and I want to tell them, you so can! And should. The industry is an exciting place with a lot of opportunities.”

Follow Hannah’s Miss Universe Australia journey and support her fundraising at toybox. grassrootz.com/mua-2021/Hannah-obrien, or through her Instagram @h.annahobrien.

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A growing business

Cookware, Mattresses Carpets, Clothing Bed, Furniture & more Australia’s finest range of certified organic cotton and wool textile products since 2004

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We manufacture: • Mattresses, toppers, quilts, pillows from baby to super king • Bedlinen for baby to super king • Towels and blankets and kitchenware • Home carpets made to order • Handmade certified rugs • Clothing from baby-children-mens-ladies XS – XXL

Markus Kerkdijk from Resilient Soils shows off some healthy dirt

• Certified organic socks and school uniforms • Beds and furniture We sell health orientated cookware and garden furniture, and pots and kitchen appliances, as well as many health products including Tesla devices.

Our purpose is to make it a genuine choice for people to have toxic-free products which are unique and sustainably created.

Much of what we sell goes direct from the factory to the customer, especially the mattresses and carpets.

Whilst it may be an easy option for us to exist in a commercial setting, we believe we have a responsibility to be available to the public. Many people travel from all over Australia to explore our products. We are a destination. Though most of our business is online our customers enjoy visiting us when they are traveling this way – we need to be available.

As a business we operate sustainably and really have no need for even a domestic rubbish run. We use all of our packaging in, as packaging going out.

Because we manufacture, we custom make for houses/ motorhomes and yachts. In fact, we can create most anything and do! We create organic bags for eyeglass companies and fabric bags for many businesses with their logo.

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hat began as a quest to live a long and healthy life has led a Mooloolah Valley resident to dig deep in his new business – literally.

Markus Kerkdijk has been running Resilient Soils for the past year, focusing on ways to improve the health of the dirt that crops are grown in for the benefit of the plants themselves and the earth in general. As he says, he’s making soils great again.

In doing so, Markus is hoping his techniques will help regenerate the land, grow crops that are naturally pest and disease resistant, make farmers more profitable, increase nutrient density in food, stop erosion, increase soil water holding capacity and protect the purity of groundwater.

The 39-year-old, who was born and raised in the Netherlands before moving to Australia in 2009, bases his work on his on understanding of the ‘soil food web’.

“The SFW is the living part in the soil made up of insects, earthworms and much smaller, microscopic organisms like fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes,” he says. “The SFW can

be seen as the soil biome. Just like humans have a gut biome responsible for digesting our food, so too the soil has a biome that breaks down organic matter and releases nutrients in plantavailable form. This is how nature has been feeding plants for billions of years.

“Using a microscope you’re able to see if the organisms that make up the SFW are present and in which numbers, or biomass. With that you can determine whether the biology in the compost, as well as soil, is beneficial or not and whether nutrient cycling is happening. We can then restore the balance to our soils specific to the plants we want to grow on a biological level. Of course, we do also look at other parameters that would have caused the imbalance to happen in the first place, such as compaction, soil organic matter and minerals.”

Markus says his interest in soil health has been a gradual process that started from a desire to live healthily and, as a keen diver, to preserve the ocean, where he says the impacts of pollution are significant all over the world.

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“Composting seemed like an easy place start, soon followed by growing some of our own organic food,” he says.

SOIL HEALTH TIPS FOR YOUR HOME “Despite a lot of failures in growing some of our own food, my passion for it grew and started to rub off on others as friends Here are Markus’ tips for home gardeners: started to seek my help in their gardening adventures.

• Always have your soil covered. Ideally with “I delved into permaculture and visited (renowned plants, but mulch will do too. Rain is biggest ecologist) David Holmgren and many others all over Australia culprit of soil compaction. and Asia. Most people are doing this on a home scale but I • Grow a great variety of plants, including a good found one who uses permaculture principles on a broadacre amount of local species and lots of flowering farm. I stayed on this farm for some time, to learn more about plants to get the insects in. Of the more than his practices. The owner had the philosophy that you have to 1.5 million known insect species in the world, be able to compete with conventional modern agriculture, A before and after of plants that have benefitted from more than 97 per cent are beneficial to gardens, otherwise it has no future.

Markus' expertise or simply benign. The favourite food for many of “I attended workshops in biodynamic farming these beneficial ones are the non-beneficial ones. and visited and stayed on biodynamic farms to the biological process of quorum sensing. As • Stop using pesticides and herbicides, and learn more about their practices. I started to such, he has renamed his business from don’t use synthetic fertilisers. In all cases there see a trend with the farmers and people Resilient Gardens to Resilient Soils, to are organic options if you do feel the need to applying these methods. They were better reflect the nature of his work. He use it. And even then, apply only at half the feeding the soil and then let the soil is also committed to further enhancing recommended dosage and mix in some extract feed the plants. his understanding of soil health. from worm castings (not worm leachate).

“By diversifying my composting “As a lot of people like to see • Start a worm farm. Make sure that for every unit methods, as well as improving my proof that working with nature’s of kitchen scraps (nitrogen) you feed them two composting skills, growing food at systems actually works here in units of carbon (shredded cardboard and any home became a lot more successful our region as well, and most non-glossy paper or leaves – wet this down a bit). and the flavour was so much better documentaries and research is Keep adequate moisture in the bin, however if than even organic store-bought done overseas, this past year I have there is water coming out the bottom, it is too produce.” focused on running trials as well as wet and you’re creating an environment that is Markus’ business now provides further education that can help farmers suitable for non-beneficial organisms. Use the several different services. He offers transition away from most biocides and ’squeeze test’ to determine the correct amount consulting or coaching, which he says synthetic fertilisers,” he says.

Markus on the job of moisture. Take a handful of compost, pick out is his main focus. He also does differential Markus credits his understanding of the worms and give it a good squeeze. You want plant sap analysis, a relatively new tool that soil health to the work of leading American water dripping out, not streaming out. gives real-time insight, unlike plant tissue tests, microbiologist Dr Elaine Ingham, who has pioneered • Want to make a good extract or ‘worm into nutrient deficiencies and excesses. And he has research into the soil food web over the past four decades. He juice’? Get some finished worm castings formulated a ‘soil inoculant’, which he says adds a diversity of was the first person in the world to complete the certified lab (vermicompost) out of the bottom and pick out microbiology back to the soil and acts a ‘wake-up call’ through program under her US-based Soil Food Web School, which any worms that may be in there. Add about a is intended to set a world standard in soil biology testing as handful to your watering can, fill up with nonthere currently isn’t one. He says he discovered Dr Ingham Markus working on a soil sample chlorinated water then water into your garden. after a garden disaster.

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“In late 2018, we moved to Malaysia where, aside from Single Column - 80 x 75mm Put the castings in a paint strainer bag and very holding workshops for local schools and working for a gently these beautiful little organisms Business card - 80massage x 50mm company that installed raised garden beds, I started helping into a bucket of non-chlorinated water before a community garden increase the amount of compost pouring it in your watering can. If the quality is OUR SPECIALIST RUBBISH REMOVAL SERVICE takes away, being made onsite as to deal with the increasing amount very high one handful could be enough for up to of food scraps being delivered from the people in the local redundant, dis-used, obsolete and worn out furniture and 50 sq m of your garden! area,” Markus says. “I also introduced cover cropping to help white goods. We can take away just one item or several items.

• In the future Markus will hold some workshops increase the organic matter in the soil. All was going great We also clear internal space in readiness for a property sale on the SFW, looking at soil and compost under until everything in a garden bed started dying days after the microscope and teaching how you can make in respect of deceased estates. (Conditions apply). compost was applied. In a search of the hows and whys of this a high-quality compost at home. happening, I found Dr Ingham and the soil food web.”

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Go with your gut Andrea Lopez’s healing hands are helping women and men on the Coast to overcome reproductive problems

by KATRINA LEZAIC

Andrea Lopez at Secrets from the Honey Tree

F

or more than a decade, Eumundi medicine woman Andrea Lopez has been teaching her clients to heal themselves with their own hands.

As founder and creator of Eumundi healing centre Secrets from the Honey Tree, Andrea uses the traditional tool of abdominal massage to educate and support women and men with different reproductive health challenges throughout various stages of their lives.

After years practising at Sunspace Cafe and the Eumundi Markets, she opened Secrets from the Honey Tree in 2015, which has since become an established base for intergenerational healing.

"With Secrets from the Honey Tree, I am now able to walk through all the seasons with a woman," Andrea says. "I might begin with treating a woman who experiences painful periods and has fertility issues, and continue into her pregnancy and

beyond, where I end up treating her during perimenopause, while her daughter then also starts seeing me during the pre-pubescent phase if she is experiencing cramping."

Andrea also regularly treats men experiencing a range of health issues including prostrate swelling and erectile dysfunction, with the number of male clients reaching out to her increasing.

"When I treat men I still use abdominal massage and teach them self- care massage as well if they're open to it,” she says.

“Men who take their health into their own hands experience massive changes really quickly.

"We also have a men's group that comes here as well, because of all the mental health problems men are currently facing. All the women clear out and the men come together to discuss what is going on for them, and to support each other.

And there is also a sense of the importance of holding each other accountable."

After 10 years as a kahuna masseuse in Sydney, Andrea travelled to Belize in 2007 to study the Arvigo technique of Mayan abdominal massage with Dr Rosita Arvigo.

Arvigo therapy is a modern adaption of ancient Mayan healing techniques that use massage to manipulate the muscles and ligaments that hold the abdominal organs in place.

“Once learnt, they become a part of our own medicine chest, so we can connect with our internal wisdom and break away from codependent relationships with therapists,” Andrea says.

Growing up in her parents’ restaurant, she used her hands to heal family members even as a little girl, massaging her dad's legs when he was tired from working, or her grandmother's sore knee.

But it wasn’t until she went to Belize that Andrea realised just how sensitive we need to be for real healing to take place.

“When I was practising kahuna all the rugby players would come to me because I was renowned for giving strong massages. Each time I’d bully their muscles into relaxing, and they’d come back the next week even tighter,” she says.

While in Belize, Andrea discovered that a displaced uterus may affect the health of a woman and her ability to conceive or give birth. She also learnt how a simple self-care routine can relieve symptoms and became the first certified practitioner and self-care teacher of Mayan abdominal massage in Australia.

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grandmother really cool because, as a teenager, I would just ignore her when she told me to rest more while I was menstruating. The fact that she had been right all along was really humbling.

“During menstruation, women throw down painkillers and have such busy lives we never stop to rest and heal, so it just builds on itself and exacerbates the symptoms. But the potency of a woman who is using her own hands to tend to

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Her trip to Belize became a three-month journey that included a visit to her family in Paraguay, giving her a deeper appreciation of the ideas instilled in her by her own maternal family.

“When I first menstruated, it was really acknowledged by my mother and celebrated, but this wasn’t the case for my Aussie friends and I didn’t know how embarrassed and ashamed they felt,” she says. “It also suddenly made my

herself and become her own master – the effect on the psyche of a woman is incredible.”

Andrea believes one of the many benefits of the abdominal massage is the increase of blood flow to the reproductive organs that, she says, “nourishes and purifies the nest” in preparation for pregnancy.

As a result, she is widely consulted by women who can’t fall pregnant once they’ve exhausted all other avenues.

“Women seek me out after failed IVF, to support them for the next round. In conjunction with other therapies we have great results,” she says. "We are constantly amazed when these women come back to visit and bring their babies."

Andrea is now driven to bridge the gap between traditional and modern medicine and is currently conducting a research survey with a sonographer who understands the importance of the position of the uterus and the affect it has on a woman when it is out of alignment.

A self-professed “wounded healer”, she is conscious of the fact that in order to heal others it’s essential to first be able to treat and understand the dynamics within her own body.

“I’m here for my own learning too,” she says. “I’m just grateful that there are men and women who hear the beat of the same drum.”

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Flaxton Gardens

5 313-327 Flaxton Drive FLAXTON Address Phone 07 5445 7450 Flaxton Gardens Web Address flaxtongardens.com.au 313-327 Flaxton Drive FLAXTON Mon to07 Sat: 11am - 6pm for Flaxton@ OPENPhone 5445 7450

FOOD, DRINK AND DINE EASY PIZZA Serves: 6 (12 slices) Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Fruit and veg: 1½ serve per portion Ingredients 1 tablespoon polenta (cornmeal) 1 cup natural yoghurt 1½ cups self-raising flour ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ cup pizza sauce ½ cup leftover cooked vegetables such as potato or sweet potato, sliced thinly ¼ medium red onion ½ cup red or green capsicum, sliced ¼ medium zucchini, sliced thinly ¼ avocado, diced ¼ cup mushroom, sliced ½ cup spinach, basil and mint leaves ½ cup cheese, mozzarella or cheddar, reduced fat, grated

What’s great about it?

Who doesn’t love a delicious pizza? Leave those guilty pleasures behind by making this pizza packed with veggies. Clear out the fridge and add any leftover veggies to this pizza, and top with fresh herbs for added flavour and a hint of freshness.

Recipe courtesy of Judy Stubbs, Maleny branch

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BEETROOT, PEAR AND PARMESAN SALAD Serves: 4 Prep time: 5-10 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Fruit and veg: 1 serve per portion Ingredients 2 beetroot, whole 2 cups rocket 2 pears, thinly sliced 20g parmesan, shaved ½ lemon, juiced Cracked black pepper

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The QCWA Country Kitchens program has been supporting Method members to run healthy eating • Preheat oven to 180C. LD WORand lifestyle IN initiatives in their • Wrap beetroot in foil and bake in oven for L ASS C 40-45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.

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FOOD, DRINK AND DINE

Tasty tipple from under the Tuscan sun WINE TIME

by MICHELE STERNBERG

T

his month I’d like to invite you on a little European vacation (via vino) following the route of a truly memorable journey I took with my son and mother back in 2013.

From the beautiful vineyards of France, where last month’s wines in the review were from, we travelled east by train along the majestic coastline, stopping at several ancient towns peppering the steep cliffs overlooking the ocean, and on to Italy.

This next wine, from under the Tuscan sun, is a light 2019 chianti from Borgo SanLeo that had me doing a little happy dance the moment I went to open it. Why? Because it had a cork!

Rummaging through the cutlery drawer, I found what I was after – my butterfly corkscrew – and I went to work delicately turning the top with precision to ensure I didn’t shred the cork in the process. It came out cleanly and I marvelled at the red tinge at one end and was taken back decades to when my love of wine began (well before screw tops became the norm).

A blend of sangiovese and a small amount of canaiolo, this chianti is a wine to be partnered with an antipasto platter because, on its own, there’s not much to rave about. Pop a sharp pimento-filled green olive in your gob, then take a sip and it’s an entirely different wine.

Another light red offering is the 2019 Zonin Ventiterre Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, which is typical of southern Italian wines – light, crisp and dry with a touch of oak and tannins.

Abruzzo is a mountain region on the east coast of Italy, and one I’ll remember for its genuine hospitality and picturesque scenery. It’s also the first and last place I’ve eaten rabbit. But, I digress.

Friends who tried this wine were divided because it’s not a big, bold, full-bodied Aussie cab sav and you’ll be disappointed if this is what you’re expecting.

No, it’s light, slightly acidic and best served with a rich Italian pasta or pizza covered in spicy salami and olives to really complement the flavours and bring out the best in this wine.

Decant before pouring into glasses to give this young drop time to breathe.

I had both wines in the fridge before decanting because they really do benefit from being served at a cooler temperature, especially on a warm Aussie autumn day. And, when paired with an Italian feast, they’ll transport your tastebuds straight to Italy.

Cheers to our wonderful women THE BEER FROM ROUND HERE

by JOSH DONOHOE

Rebekah Smedley from Brouhaha

A

fter another successful haul of medals at the Queensland Beer Awards earlier this month, Sunshine Coast breweries turned their attention to International Women’s Day to acknowledge the hard-working women in the industry.

To celebrate, Your Mates Brewery hosted an event with Zonta called Legendary Women’s Day, to raise money and awareness for its Ending Gender-Based Violence campaign.

The team at Brouhaha Brewery also had 10 passionate women involved in an International Women's Brew Day. Cohosted by staff Rebekah Smedley and Matt Jancauskas, these women learnt the ins and outs of brewing on a commercial brew kit. The limited-release beer will soon be available for the public to sample from the brewery. Rebekah is pretty much part of the furniture at Brouhaha, having run the front of house for the past few years. She is now also an assistant brewer as well as an associate judge at the Queensland Beer Awards. When I asked her what she enjoys most about working in the industry she said: “I love that there are no gender-specific roles here at Brouhaha. If a staff member wants to try working in another area of the business, this is encouraged, specifically within the brewery itself.”

The Pink Boots Society is another great organisation that supports women in the beer industry, created to assist, inspire and encourage women to advance their careers through education. This isn’t limited to just the brewers but also the sales team and bar staff who all support this thriving industry.

Daryle Cook, owner of Sunshine Brewery in Kuluin, is a Pink Boots member and said: “Pink Boots connects women in brewing and the beer industry worldwide. Not only does it provide social and networking opportunities, but it provides members access to knowledge, skills and advice from other women in the industry globally. This could be help in brewing, advice on equal opportunities, employment or any other aspect.”

And let’s not forget about all the women who support their partners that work in the industry. Often they work unsociable hours, weekends, late nights, festivals and events, with some hard physical work, and many also have the added pressures of running a small business.

So here’s cheers to the women who work so hard to make the Sunshine Coast brewing scene such a thriving and successful one.

New chapter be-gins

T

he boutique Eumundi Distillers and its new Folktale Gin label have launched at the Imperial Hotel in Eumundi.

The small-batch gins are crafted on-site at the hotel in a custom-built copper still.

Head distiller Mick Reif (pictured) says the label’s signature Folktale Eumundi Gin includes English juniper, English angelica root, coriander seed, lavender flower, cassia bark, cardamom and fresh citrus, combined with Australian native lemon and anise myrtles and pepperberry and local Cooroy Mountain spring water.

The second signature gin is the Folktale Navy Strength Eumundi Gin – bottled at 57.1 per cent.

In addition to the signature gins, the distilling team will also be releasing a range of seasonal varieties – each with its own personality and delicate flavour profile. These will only be available at the tasting bar at the Imperial Hotel.

Located in Belmondo’s Organic Market, Noosaville Located in Belmondo’s Organic Market, Noosaville

info@bioshopnoosa.com info@bioshopnoosa.com Ph: 0409177690 Ph: 0409177690 MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

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Art on a different canvas

Some of the amazing artwork at the 2019 Australian Body Art Festival

C

ooroy is set to come alive with colour and creativity in April thanks to the Australian Body Art Festival.

After being cancelled just weeks before last year’s festival due to the pandemic, participants are eager for the return of the festival. This year’s theme is Time Travel, promising a rich tapestry of art that will delight the senses.

“This event offers something really different,” event manager Danielle Taylor says. “Spectators always say what a wonderful experience it is to see living works of art come to life. This year, with a theme of Time Travel, you can expect to be transported from the distant past to the mysteries of the future.”

The award-winning event centres on competitions in temporary body painting in the categories of ultraviolet, brush and sponge, airbrush, special effects and face painting. All types of artists participate from around Australia, using their artistic flair to work on a very different canvas: the human body.

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MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

For members of the public, it’s an event like nothing ever seen before, as human canvases take shape during the competitions and come to life on stage at the end of each day.

But the festival has evolved into much more than just body painting. There is a wearable art competition with parades featuring funky fashions made from recycled treasures. New to the festival this year is a surfboard art competition, with the boards being auctioned on the Sunday afternoon. There are also art installations, interactive community art, live music, street performers, a wonderful selection of market stalls and delectable food.

The free event runs from April 9-11. There are limited numbers to maintain social distancing, so people are urged to book online to avoid disappointment. Visit australianbodyart. com.au, or for more information find @AustralianBodyArtFestival on Facebook or Instagram.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

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Early carriers made mark

Arthur Slade with one of the trucks loaded for a run to Brisbane, circa 1926. Images taken by Jessie Slade and owned by the Doug Slade Collection

HISTORY

by CAROLYN SLADE Genealogy Sunshine Coast

W

illiam Allan Alexander and Arthur Slade had built their business from a horse and cart to two motor lorries working continuously, transporting goods and mail around the Coast. Coming directly from the First World War, Slade’s experience was more with horses than trucks. He had spent some years in the Middle East with the army, mainly in English hospitals recovering from influenza and being gassed on the Somme. He and Alexander met in Wondai where they worked in a grocery store. Taking on the Nambour carrying business from Alexander Patterson Myers seemed the next step.

By 1923, the carrying business of Alexander and Slade was well established in the town of Nambour. At first the business operated from the Alexander home in Maud St. When Slade married Alexander’s young sister Jessie, the Slade family moved to Washington St and the Alexanders to a house behind them in Vernon St. A new depot was established adjacent to the railway line.

Weekly editions of the Nambour Chronicle were announcing the "marked enterprise" shown by the young carriers in the purchase of their International Speed Truck fitted as a bus to carry up to 20 passengers from Nambour to Maroochydore and all stops in between.

The men’s experiences running their business proved profitable and varied, and was extended to runs from Nambour to Brisbane with the addition of a third lorry. They travelled to Brisbane two or three times a week to deliver goods and bring back machinery and supplies. The trip took eight hours on a “highway” little more than a track winding through the villages of Woombye, Palmwoods, Eudlo and the Glasshouse Mountains. Because of “the Pinch” at Eudlo they left in the afternoon and camped on the road overnight to reach their Albert St depot the following day. The return journey followed the same pattern.

On one memorable local trip, Alexander used the truck with bus body to transport a party of Aboriginals from Perwillowen to Bli Bli. They all happily clambered on to the bus chatting, laughing and looking forward to meeting friends and relatives at the other end.

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The Alexander and Slade bus crossing Eudlo Flats along the Maroochydore Road, circa 1928

Just past the town of Nambour, Alexander noticed a movement near his feet and saw a brown snake making its way up the steering column. His reaction was instant and automatic. Handbrake on, door open, out.

The passengers tumbled in a heap to the floor of the bus, wailing with the suddenness of the stop.

After getting the passengers out of the bus and checking for injuries, an enthusiastic search for the snake ensued, followed by much laughter and descriptions of the expression on grandma’s face when she landed on top of one of the babies. The snake was caught, quickly snapped into the next life and tucked into the baggage, and the people went on their way happily anticipating the tasty and unexpected meal and the adventure they would talk about that night.

Time and changing circumstances saw the AlexanderSlade partnership dissolve around 1935 as the families moved on, but their business remains a small part of the Nambour and district history.

Sources: Adopt a Digger; National Archives of Australia; Nambour Chronicle, 1923-26; Brisbane Courier, February 15, 1926, p6.

PRESERVING HISTORY Visit the Genealogy Sunshine Coast Resource Centre in Petrie Park Rd, Nambour (opposite the swimming pool), open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9am-4.30pm. Visit sites.google.com/site/ genealogysunshinecoastinc or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/gscnambour, phone 5329 2315 or email genealogysc@gmail.com.

Since 2013, volunteers at Genealogy Sunshine Coast have been recording and researching information on all those who have military service and are memorialised in our local cemeteries. Our affiliated groups such as the Cooroy-Noosa, Caloundra and Gympie family history groups are also gathering information and stories in their areas. Work is in progress on the Buderim Cemetery and Crematorium and the Nambour Garden Cemetery. If you have information or photographs from your family for any graves in these cemeteries, we would very much appreciate being able to include them in the local records.

We can also help you scan your photographs to preserve images and documents and help you to store your memorabilia in archival sleeves and boxes.

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Valuing what matters most.

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EDUCATION

Create a video to boost message

P

Kashyap Dhital with his book The Explorer’s Diary

Adventure aplenty in Kashyap’s debut

A

Year 5 student from St Andrew’s Anglican College at Peregian Springs has had his debut book published.

Ten-year-old Kashyap Dhital’s The Explorer’s Diary follows the adventures of four children who embark on a journey to Happy Island after stumbling upon a map.

Kashyap says his love for adventure books, especially the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, and his coastal surroundings, including his home on top of a hill, helped to give him inspiration.

“Their treehouse is on the big hill so that’s where I got the idea from … so the treehouse is like my house,” he says. “The beach is meant to be where they set sail to Happy Island and the island is meant to be Fraser Island.”

The characters Harold, Lisa, Cheese and Jam work together as they face all sorts of encounters on their way to the island.

He says the characters’ unique names have a simple but creative reason behind them.

“Cheese because he’s super cheesy and Jam because I was eating some jam and thought that’s a good name,” Kashyap says.

The writings of the young author come to life with illustrations from 12-year-old Indy Stapleton, which complement the diary-type layout and style of the book.

“It’s meant to be the explorer’s ‘diary’ so I wanted it to look like someone had hand drawn or sketched them,” Kashyap says.

Despite the success of the book, Kashyap has no plans for a sequel, though he has started working on a separate second book with more dragons, magic and a medieval style.

He hopes to continue writing as a passion but has dreams of a career in medicine.

“I think I want to be a doctor because my dad’s a doctor,” he says.

The Explorer’s Diary is available at Annie's Books on Peregian, Sandy Pages in Noosa Junction and Harry Hartog at Sunshine Plaza.

rimary school kids on the Coast are being urged to dust off their selfie sticks and warm up their vocal cords to help the community prepare for disasters.

Now in its third year, the nationally acclaimed Sunshine Coast Get Ready Schools Competition challenges youngsters to create a 30-second video highlighting the importance of having a “what-if plan” so everyone knows what to do when disaster strikes.

“Educating kids about disasters empowers and encourages them to have important conversations with their friends and families, helping spread the message further,” says Sunshine Coast Council mayor and Local Disaster Management Group chairman Mark Jamieson.

“Experience shows communities that are well prepared and aware before a disaster occurs are more resilient and able to recover faster.

“As we on the Sunshine Coast know all too well, disasters can strike anytime and anywhere. It’s not a matter of if but when, and no one is immune.

“We all have a role to play when it comes to being prepared.”

The competition is part of council’s Get Ready Schools Program, which delivers engaging education sessions about disaster preparedness to schools throughout the region.

Students can enter in teams of one to five people.

The winning team will be mentored by council’s disaster management team to create council’s 2021 Get Ready television, radio and social media campaign.

Winning team members will each receive a family evacuation kit. Runner-up prizes include Get Ready packs and emergency kits.

For entry details visit the competition page at sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au. Entries close on April 30.

Heidi Brumwell, Jordan Gormley, Zac Zeremes, Shyla Lamont and Archie Tollner from St Joseph’s Primary School, Nambour, were the 2020 Sunshine Coast Get Ready Schools Competition winners

Growing people to make a difference.

Pacific Lutheran College is a supportive learning community, with a strong academic focus and exceptional sporting, cultural and outdoor programs. Our curriculum is designed to support a seamless transition from Kindergarten to Year 12, and then to life beyond school. Fostering thinking skills, curiosity and deep understanding, Pacific helps each child develop their own passion for learning.

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Contact Chris Henschke, College Registrar P 5436 7321 A Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551

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23

EDUCATION

Beloved comedy comes to stage

S

ixty students from Buderim’s Matthew Flinders Anglican College will grace the stage as the school presents a musical version of comedy Legally Blonde.

A feast of pink awaits at the Flinders Performance Centre as the students from Years 8-12 perform from March 18-20.

The show’s musical score is presented by a bespoke ensemble of selected music staff and students at the college who are of a calibre to meet the challenging technical and musical requirements.

Based on the novel and hit movie of the same name, Legally Blonde is a fun, upbeat story of self-discovery that follows the story of Elle, a blonde socialite, who travels to Harvard Law School in pursuit of a lost love. At first her journey appears trivial, however, as the story unfolds, she discovers her own potential. Elle soon finds that hard work and dedication, together with integrity, can unlock hidden potential.

Flinders head of creative arts Danny Parker says audiences are in for a lot of fun as students have worked hard and grown in confidence and ability during the three-month production journey.

“Producing a contemporary musical is something of a rollercoaster and Legally Blonde is a demanding yet rewarding project,” he said.

“The rehearsals have been a blend of calm, dedicated hard work and sheer musical madness as we have sung together, danced together and, most importantly, laughed together.

“Students have embraced the whole-of-company music pieces as well as the delicate nuanced musical moments with

Some of the cast of Matthew Flinders Anglican College’s Legally Blonde

enthusiasm and increasing maturity.

“Staff have enjoyed the opportunity to mentor, challenge and support this student group across the diverse areas of theatre, vocal training, music, choreography, stage management, lighting or design.”

Tickets are $25 and open to the public. Visit trybooking. com/BMRIH. Parental guidance is recommended.

Students riding high

S

unshine Coast Council is offering incentives to school students to get them to pedal, scoot or skate to school on National Ride2School Day. Students across Australia will swap four wheels for two on Friday, March 19, to encourage them to incorporate active travel into their lives and set up lifelong healthy habits.

Council promotes the event to every school in the local government area and is providing four $500 bike shop vouchers as incentives to encourage as many students as possible to take part.

Transport portfolio councillor Rick Baberowski said we should be giving more active travel a go whenever we can.

“We want to get as many youngsters riding, skating or scooting to school as possible, so the message to even students who live a fair distance from school is to register and commit to riding even just part of the way,” he said.

“Choosing active travel over sitting in traffic in a private vehicle even for just one day a week is a great way to build sustainable, healthy, lifelong habits that are good for you and good for the planet.

“Our region has an ever increasing pathway network with over 1400km of sealed pathways and we’re moving as quickly as possible on pathway network improvements, with an emphasis on those around school precincts.”

Participants must register online before 5pm on March 19 to enter the draw for a chance to win.

Visit sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.

Prep 2021 Welcome to the GSLC family

Good Shepherd Lutheran College 115 Eumundi Road Noosaville, Qld, 4566 www.gslc.qld.edu.au 24

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EDUCATION

SCHOOL TOURS Held every Tuesday 9.15am ~ Bookings essential

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“Building Pathways to Success” A: 20 Cooroy Belli Creek Road, Cooroy 4563 | W: www.noosacc.qld.edu.au E: info@noosacc.qld.edu.au | FB: www.facebook.com/NoosaChristianCollege

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College expansion unveiled A

first-of-its-kind college that provides opportunities for young adults with disabilities and autism through its innovative and intensive learning experience, helping them to live independent lives in the community, has opened its new extension.

The STEPS Pathways College extension was opened by Federal Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert, who was joined in unveiling a plaque by Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace and STEPS Group Australia managing director Carmel Crouch.

“Most people will know that STEPS Pathways College is very much a passion project for me, and it has been an honour to be able to see so many of our students finding their path, achieving their independence and moving into our community,” Ms Crouch said.

The extension was needed due to an immense demand and includes two new accommodation facilities and one new recreational area.

The recreational area, known as Mason’s Place, will provide an all-weather sanctuary for the students where they are able to relax, socialise and further their education. The two accommodation facilities, one of which is named the Mills Family Wing, will extend the STEPS Pathways College experience to a further 12 students.

“What we are seeing here with STEPS is a world-leading model,” Mr Robert said.

“Rural and remote areas continue to not receive the services they need because of the thinness of markets. These are the continuing challenges which we need to move on.

“This is why it is so wonderful to see the online program that STEPS Pathways College is running here, so that people with disabilities have the opportunity to engage regardless of where they live.

“Taking care of Australians is worth all of our time, it’s a

Stuart Robert, Andrew Wallace and Carmel Crouch Stuart Robert with Ari at the opening

national endeavour. Together, as STEPS is showing, we can do profoundly great things in our community.”

Mr Wallace added his admiration for the program.

“Places like this are really ground-breaking in Australia, a boarding College that takes young people and teaches them how to live independently,” he said.

“One of the best things that STEPS Pathways College does,

and in fact STEPS does through its whole philosophy, is that it takes young people with a disability, and it trains them to be able to get out and live a fulfilling life.

“I’m very proud to be a very small part of STEPS.” While touring the space, current student Caelan Drew added his excitement about the extension.

“I’m going to be graduating from the college soon and I’m so grateful to have been able to come here,” he said. “I’ve learned so much here, I’ve learnt how to be independent. I’m glad that more students will be able to come here and have the same experience as me; it’s been life-changing.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Caloundra

Noosa

Car display

Breakfast success

School assistance

The Arthur St Country Market on April 11 will feature a special display of vintage cars thanks to the Blackall Range Horseless Carriage Club.

The club, based in Maleny, will show off cars mostly from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, with a few ‘old-timers’ as well, including a 1926 Chevrolet (pictured).

The market, which supports Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club, has stalls selling fruit and veg, jewellery, reflexology, bric-a-brac, plants, soap, vintage records, clothes, coffee, food and more.

It is at the Caloundra Rugby Union Club car park from 7am-noon every Sunday. For inquiries phone Lindsay on 0401 482 949.

Zonta Club of Noosa has held a successful International Women’s Day breakfast at the Boathouse Restaurant.

The MC for the sold-out event was ABC journalist Annie Gaffney, while local musician Emma Tomlinson entertained guests. Noosa mayor Clare Stewart (pictured left) and councillors Amelia Lorentson and Karen Finzel were also in attendance.

The guest speakers were Dr Nova Evans and Sonia Goodwin from Sunny Street, a GP and nurse-led mobile outreach unit providing healthcare for homeless and vulnerable people on the Coast.

“We see our support for projects like Sunny Street as extremely important,” Noosa Zonta president Margie Fisher (pictured right) said.

Up to 640 students in the 4556 postcode area will receive financial assistance with school expenses thanks to the Buderim Foundation and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Back to School Program.

The program is providing $32,000 of $50 vouchers to families.

Buderim Lions Club, Buderim Rotary Club and Buderim War Memorial Community Association also made contributions to the total.

In the past 17 years $197,950 of vouchers have been distributed through the program.

Pictured are Roz Bull from the Buderim Foundation, Teale Ring from BWMCA and Chancellor State College executive principal Leanne Jensen-Steele.

Caloundra

Coolum

Currimundi

Badge honours

Collective returns

Picnic catch-up

The 2021 Caloundra Evening VIEW committee members have been presented with their badges by VIEW national councillor Margaret Elliott.

They are May Thomas (president), Enid Traill (secretary), Beryl Moye (treasurer), Sue Carter, Elizabeth Niven, Deborah Peut, Shirley Leggett, Beverley Walker, Wendy Lonie and Janette Clark.

The Caloundra club supports 10 local students through the Smith Family’s Learning for Life program.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at the Caloundra Power Boat Club in Golden Beach. Phone 0428 136 308.

Pictured is VIEW zone councillor Clodagh Barwise-Smith (left) presenting the 30-Year Service Pin to Cheryl Scott.

Some of the Sunshine Coast’s leading artists and artisans will feature at a three-day exhibition of diverse art and craft over Easter.

The Coolum Art Collective’s Easter Art Exhibition will have more than 200 original artworks for sale, comprising both traditional and current styles. The group has been meeting for 50 years.

The free exhibition is at the Coolum Civic Centre from 10am-4pm on April 2, and 9am-4pm on April 3-4. The official opening is on April 3 from 4-5pm.

Pictured is Eastern Yellow Robin by Barbara Brown.

The Probus Club of Currimundi has an interesting program of activities arranged for the months ahead, including tennis, golf, walking, craft and book club, coffee and chat mornings, lunches, dinners, day trips and camping and caravanning trips.

The club celebrated Australia Day with a barbecue lunch at Crummunda Park. It was a relaxed day of fun as friends caught up after the Christmas break.

People interested in joining are welcome to come along to the monthly meetings. Phone Ros on 0458 753 922.

Pictured are Kay and Mary enjoying a chat at the Australia Day picnic.

Pomona

28

Buderim

Caloundra

Keeping active

Gallery anniversary

Flower power

Retirement is a long time if you waste it, but you can make this phase of your life a new, wonderful challenge.

Men’s Sheds are much more than simply workshops for those who have developed practical trade skills.

Sheds are committed to helping all members, no matter what their background, to maintain their health, and providing the opportunity to become active in shared interest groups such as photography, technology, movies, woodworking and more is a key to this.

There are a dozen or more Men’s Sheds on the Coast, to find one visit mensshed.org/find-a-shed.

The Pomona Railway Station Gallery is turning 20, with a celebration to be held on March 20 at 2pm in its Federation Garden.

In 2001 Robyn Jones, Jan Hubner and other volunteers made a dream a reality. With the help of then-MP Alex Somlyay, funds were acquired to move the Pomona rail buildings to their present site to give artists a place to display their work.

The current exhibitions are Making My Marks by Tia Carrington (until March 31) and Celebrating Women – Stories of Culture (until April 7).

Visit pomonartgallery.com.

The new Quota Club Caloundra has hosted its first fundraiser, a flower-arranging demonstration and morning tea.

Retired Caloundra florist Dawn Buckmaster (pictured) showed members how to produce vibrant, intoxicating and fragrant arrangements, with the creations later being auctioned The club meets for dinner at the Caloundra Power Boat Club on the second Thursday of each month to enjoy fellowship and to plan service activities. Social coffee mornings are also held on the first Friday of each month.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

COMMUNITY NEWS

Buderim

Buderim

Caloundra

New committee

Garden opened

Theatre milestone

The Buderim VIEW Club has elected a new committee for 2021, the club’s 28th year.

They are (pictured, back from left) Margaret Elliott (national councillor), Robyn Stewart, Julie Peake, Dianne Higgins, Brenda Mee, Carol Bomford, Helen Bukmanis, (front) Annette Caldwall, Diana Woolley, Jan McKay and Janette Horton (president).

The club holds its lunch meeting on the first Wednesday of each month at Buderim Tavern. Each month, a social event is held on the third Wednesday of the month.

For more details email JennyJackson500@hotmail.com or phone 0424 096 523.

Residents at the Buderim Gardens Retirement Village have welcomed MP Brent Mickleberg to open their community garden.

The gardeners have worked tirelessly raising the initial finances, gaining approvals and sourcing two raised garden beds and soil. They plan to expand thanks to community grants, organising raffles and donations.

“We were very fortunate to have Brent Mickleberg take time out of his busy schedule to officially open our community garden, turn the first sod and plant the first lime tree,” garden group president Priscilla Macmillan said.

The village was established 50 years ago as the first selffunded retirement village in Australia.

The Caloundra Chorale and Theatre Company has been performing for more than 50 years, so to mark the occasion last year management decided to replace the 30-year-old chairs at its community theatre in Wurtulla.

“The chairs can be difficult to sit in for a two-hour performance,” president Julie Marks said. “Our volunteers give out pillows to make the chairs more comfortable.”

CCTC is not-for-profit and run by volunteers, with more than 12 performances a year at the theatre in Wurtulla as well as the Caloundra Community Senior Centre. Visit caloundrachorale. com.au.

Pictured is Karan Gerard with the new chairs.

Noosa

Caloundra

Maroochydore

Electric buzz

Special guest speaker

Celebrating women

Explore the rapidly changing world of electric transport at the Noosa Electric Vehicle Expo on March 21.

The expo will feature electric buses, cars, motorcycles (including the Wyld mini choppers, pictured), scooters and e-bikes. Test rides will be available on e-bikes and scooters.

“We also will be showcasing cutting-edge engineering design and innovation from Team Arrow and QUT Motorsports,” expo co-ordinator Vivien Griffin says.

“There will be something for everyone and all ages.”

The free event is from 10-2pm at the Noosa Transit Centre car park, Lanyana Way, Noosa Junction.

Visit noosaevexpo.com.au.

The March 18 meeting of Caloundra Family History Research will feature Sue Reid from the Queensland Family History Society talking about the online archive system Trove.

Sue (pictured) is a current QFHS committee member and has presented sessions at a number of family history conferences and seminars, and at the State Library of Queensland and the National Archives of Australia.

On April 15 the guest speaker will be historian and military history lecturer Jerry McBrien, author of War in the Pacific: The First Six Months – Defending Australia.

Visit caloundrafamilyhistory.org.au.

Maroochydore VIEW Club has celebrated International Women’s Day, with four club members speaking about the women who had influenced their lives and the community.

The guest speaker at the meeting was Rebecca Ind from the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood at Maroochydore on the vital work the organisation does to save lives.

The club meets on the fourth Friday of each month for lunch, with a morning coffee and an outing every month.

The guest speaker for March is George Fraser about his life in the diplomatic service. Phone 0418 793 906.

Pictured are Lynn Parr and Virginia Winstanley.

Mount Coolum

Cooroibah

Tewantin

Store triumph

Personality fundraiser

Showcase the region

White’s IGA Mount Coolum has been awarded the 2021 Queensland IGA Store of the Year for the second year in a row.

“Roz and Michael White and the entire team at White’s IGA Mount Coolum go over and above every day to provide a standout store for their local community,” IGA state board chair Frank Spanos said.

The store also won awards for its delicatessen, bakery and dairy-freezer departments.

“Every day we all strive to offer the best products, best prices and best customer service to every single customer,” Roz said.

Disability support charity Sunshine Butterflies is hosting a fun workshop for businesses called Who’s Who at the Zoo, looking at how personality impacts people in work, life and learning.

Hosted by AusIDentities creator Michael White (pictured), who is donating his time, profits will go to Sunshine Butterflies and promote its new training room as a workshop venue.

AusIDentities uses the characteristics of the eagle, dolphin, kangaroo and wombat to create a fun and user-friendly system.

The event is on March 18 at Sunshine Butterflies’ facility in Cooroibah. Cost is $25 plus booking fee. Visit events.humanitix.com/ who-s-who-at-the-zoo-x-sunshine-butterflies.

Visit Sunshine Coast is inviting photographers from across Australia to submit their snaps that capture the Coast’s most ‘For real’ moments.

In a campaign with media partner We Are Explorers, the winner and three friends will score a trip to the region for five nights to explore all the Coast has to offer and capture it on film. Their content will then be showcased across VSC’s and We Are Explorers’ channels.

“Our new brand ‘For real’ is all about showcasing what makes the Sunshine Coast so unique,” VSC CEO Matt Stoeckel said.

For more details visit weareexplorers.co/sunshine-coast-forreal-comp/.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

29

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Many questions to answer In 2013, in response to shocking claims of sexual misconduct and degradation in the Australian Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Morrison said: “The standards you walk past are the standards you accept.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison needs to ensure that the toxic culture in Parliament House is no longer tolerated for political expediency. Delaying action by appointing various committees of inquiry does not cut it.

As a nation, we have a right to expect better from our government, which has been exposed as lacking morality, where the end game is to hold on to power, and shown not a jot of care for the collateral damage to young lives impacted by the sordid culture of cover-up and entitlement.

The Morrison Government also has many questions to answer about its largess with grants, deals and so on, and why it will not set up a truly independent national integrity commission.

Mr Morrison should adopt Lieutenant General Morrison’s values and restore our faith in our political system and the governance of our country. The standards you walk past …

Robyn Deane, Bli Bli

Concerning culture The ongoing dramas in parliament over rape accusations are appalling. How anyone in a position of trust could allegedly engage in such behaviour is totally unacceptable.

One assumes that people go into politics to make a positive difference in our world for the betterment of us all, but sadly in some cases this seems to have been abused.

Whether those accused feel they are above the law is extremely concerning as it shows a total lack of judgment on

their part, and a gross lack of respect and concern for those who have been harmed.

When the facts are clear, and punishments served where appropriate, our politicians can finally govern in the way they are paid to, and most importantly for the right reasons.

Jan Hopkins, Reesville

doing? When will they admit this is a massive crisis and do something about it?

Jessica Lawrence, Palmwoods

Housing crisis

I would like to let the community know about a useful pocketbook to stop people being scammed, called The Little Black Book of Scams.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, this booklet is recognised internationally as an important tool for consumers and small businesses to learn about scams including: the most common scams to watch out for; the different ways scammers can contact you; the tools scammers use to trick you; the warning signs; how to protect yourself; and where you can find help.

You can place an order for hard copies by emailing publishing.unit@accc.gov.au or by contacting the Infocentre on 1300 302 502. They only deliver to addresses within Australia, and digital copies are also available.

I thought it was worthwhile sharing this to help protect people.

Daren Edwards, Detective Senior Sergeant Officer in Charge, Sunshine Coast District

What is going on with our housing? How can it be that people with decent jobs are finding themselves homeless? Families who have lived in an area for years, with kids at schools, are being forced to uproot because there is nothing available for them.

Rents are shooting up, with huge numbers of people applying for one home. People who have saved more than $20k, with steady jobs, are finding they are nowhere near able to buy anything.

Why is housing a commodity when it should be a basic human right to have a roof over your head, like food and water?

How can this be happening in our country, in our state, in our Sunshine Coast community?

People are living in cabins, caravans, in some cases their cars, because they cannot find homes. This is not right.

How can a family from Maleny have to move to Gympie or further afield, because there is nothing around? A family from Eudlo I know have two weeks left to find a home, and everywhere they look, they are in competition with at least 30 others in similar circumstances.

One single mum I know with three kids and a dog went to look at a very small home in desperation – there was black mould across the ceiling and asbestos walls, yet the asking rent was the same as a house with none of these issues.

What are our governments doing? What is the council

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 time-sensitive letters.

Across 1 5 9 10 11 13 14 18 19 21 23 24 28 29 30 31

Husky (7) Highest (7) Complete (6) Opening (8) Shades (10) Restraint (4) Unsullied (6) Foretells (8) Fleet commander's vessel (8) Chaise longue (6) Having no money (4) Writing materials (10) Large amount of electrical power (8) Stoppage (6) Profound (7) Nervous (7)

Down

Down: 2 Hindu, 3 Owing, 4 Theta, 6 Overspend, 7 Maternity, 8 Serviette, 10 Aesop, 12 Let, 15 Hallowe'en, 16 Sugar cane, 17 Ephesians, 20 Plait, 22 Ado, 25 In-law, 26 Night, 27 Reach.

Across: 1 Throaty, 5 Topmost, 9 Entire, 10 Aperture, 11 Sunglasses, 13 Rein, 14 Chaste, 18 Predicts, 19 Flagship, 21 Daybed, 23 Poor, 24 Stationery, 28 Megawatt, 29 Logjam, 30 Intense, 31 Twitchy.

Answers:

with Allan Blackburn 1. On what continent is the country of Gabon?

2. What does the party invitation “BYO” stand for?

3. By what name is the sporting venue

Lang Park better known?

4. In Roman numerals, what is MIX? 5. What cartoon character allegedly gets his strength

from spinach?

6. A “jack of all trades” is said to wear many what?

7. In a V6 car, what does the six indicate?

8. In television, what is an “OB”?

9. What celestial body features on the main logo of the

North Queensland Cowboys?

10. What is the usual name for the Supreme Pontiff?

11. How many February days will there be in the next

four years?

12. Red and what other colour make up the uniform of

surf lifesavers?

13. What animal features on the badge of a Peugeot car?

14. What word is closest in meaning to “progeny”:

genius, offspring, futurist?

15. Incisors, canines and bicuspids are types of what?

16. What kind of living thing is a bronze whaler?

17. What is the closest capital city to Cape York?

18. With which of the arts is Ken Done best associated?

19. In the song from Oklahoma, what line comes after, “Oh,

what a beautiful morning”?

20. What are the traditional colours of the

Richmond AFL team?

1. Africa 2. Bring your own 3. Suncorp Stadium 4. 1009 5. Popeye 6. Hats 7. Six cylinders 8. Outside broadcast 9. Star 10. Pope 11. 113 12. Yellow 13. Lion 14. Offspring 15. Human teeth 16. Shark 17. Port Moresby 18. Painting 19. Oh, what a beautiful day 20. Black and yellow

Answers: MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

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

Email editor@sunnycoastmedia.com.au.

Crossword No. 309

Trivia

30

Stop the scams

2 3 4 6 7 8 10 12 15 16 17

20 22 25 26 27

Member of the Indian majority (5) Unpaid (5) 8th letter of the Greek alphabet (5) Lay out too much (9) Motherhood (9) Table napkin (9) Fabulous story-teller (5) Permit (3) Eve of All Saints' Day (9) Source of sweetness (5,4) Recipients of one of St Paul's Epistles (9) Braid (5) Fuss (3) Relative by marriage (2-3) The dark (5) Achieve (5)

POETS' CORNER

MY HEADLAND Headland, my headland, Etched by wind, carved by rain, How long have you gazed out to restless sea.

How many new dawns have washed your slopes, How many storms have woken your dreams, How long have you smiled at time?

When earth’s crust trembled and roared, When sounds of life were never heard, When only sea and sky could ever move.

When your bulk stood as bare as the day you were born.

What times have you seen my lonely headland?

What did you feel when you began to be clothed, When grass and tree crept up your slopes.

When roots forced their way deep into your parts, And seeds of life began to call you home.

When bush and banksia hugged you close, Sharing the sea that had been yours alone.

Were you glad my headland for the changes of time?

When scurrying creatures first scratched your back, And flashing fish danced between your toes.

When lumbering whales cruised slowly past, And creatures roamed your busy slopes.

You knew my headland that times had changed, Do you remember the first man that strode your back?

You watched him work to build his boats, You watched him work to build his hopes.

He changed the land and the peace forever.

How long my headland, to turn back time?

Headland … my headland, You still sit and stare out to restless sea, But times have changed you, You no longer look free.

Wild heights that once swayed to whispering winds, Where sun, rain and moon danced wild and free, Now cleared to make way for concrete and steel.

Long lines of coloured boxes staring coldly to sea.

Headland … Moffat headland, How long will you gaze out to restless sea, For how much longer will your beauty be?

Forever … perhaps, Or however long that time shall be. © John Bonney

Leunig

LIFE ON THE RIVER Can't wipe the smile off my face, Were living in such a happy place, Loving life over the North Shore, There's just so much to see and explore, Wake up to the birds singing there morning song, Go for a kayak and take my camera along, Bright blue skies and lots of sun, Get into the surf and have some fun, Down our back yard a big Roo roams free, The eagles made its nest in our big gum tree, 4WD or walk for miles along the beach, Lots of fishing spots so easy to reach, Digging in the garden with my spade, Or take my kayak up into the Everglades, Dragonflies, Ducklings and Lillies down on our pond, It's like my mumma has waved a magic wand, The mangroves I just love to explore, Tell me, who would want for more.... © Wenz Blew

MANY OCEANS So many oceans one traverses through the endless tides of our lifetimes such bitter and sweet joy and sadness both.

With courage we still come to enter this world into the countless stories and parts to play cognisant of little or nothing before nor beyond.

Flesh does not define us whether in spark or totality as we rise all from the first fire and with embers alight destined we will remain to the last. © Gerard Traub

THE FORGOTTEN SONG Like a cherished dream the heart sings its special song The music of the spheres asks me to hear The forgotten song The trees sing with ease in the breeze as it plays with the leaves The forgotten song The drumming of the rain on the window pane In silence, listen … you will hear The forgotten song The rhythm of the waves so soft and low Blend with the sounds of the ocean The forgotten song Rainbow coloured notes put sound all around asking that we all sing along The forgotten song Sounds of laughter cleansing my soul The wind in my hair dares me to sing The sounds of nature The forgotten song This heavenly ensemble dances within Light To make the world bright Deep within the soul there is music to be found Go … go find your forgotten song.

Everything has a song.

Listen … listen … listen Find strength in your song Forgotten for far too long. © Irene Sunn

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

To submit your work for possible publication email editor@sunnycoastmedia.com.au.

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

Maggie

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

31

CREATIVE CUTS SUNNY COAST TIMES

Second crack at ABBA musical

T

his time last year Noosa Arts Theatre was a curtain call away from staging arguably the most popular musical of all time. Seen by more than 60 million people worldwide, the feel-good musical Mamma Mia! was all but ready to go.

Then COVID hit.

Now, 12 months later, the theatre is ready to stage the musical again. After re-casting six crucial parts because some of the original cast were no longer available, director David Williams has been honing and shaping 26 dedicated and talented men and women into the perfect vessels for ABBA’s enduring music.

After assembling an already completed set, bar the odd extra rustic stool or meticulously painted Greek island backdrop, there is an excited hum among the cast and crew.

“I’ve loved ABBA’s music since I first heard Mamma Mia! on the radio in 1975, when I was barely 16 years old,” says relative Noosa Arts Theatre newcomer Robert Boesch, who plays Harry.

“You could say, I’m living my theatrical dream. I’m in awe of all the stunning voices in this show. Not only that, everyone is acting their hearts out … we’re all having the time of our lives! The choreography is spot on, lighting is dazzling, sets beautifully envisioned and painted, and don’t get me started on the costumes! Our wonderfully patient director, David Williams, gently encourages the absolute best from everyone. Bravo!”

Jo Hendrie is Donna Sheridan, with a beautifully heartrending and powerful voice. Her rendition of The Winner Takes It All will leave you in breathless, silent admiration.

Frank Wilkie is Sam, the architect and one potential father to Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Teyla Brim. Frank’s Sam is a likeable rogue but with an enduring soft spot for Donna.

Bill, played by original cast member Danny Fritz, will have you shouting for him to Take a Chance on Stephanie Larmans’ Rosie, one of Donna’s best friends, who will win you over with her honesty and fine voice. Their chemistry is palpable.

Harry is like your favourite uncle, kind and polite. Another of Sophie‘s potential fathers, he’s out to prove he can also be spontaneous. Jared Solti, also new to the 2021 production, plays Sky with understated passion, leaving Teyla to shine, particularly in her opening and closing number I Have a Dream.

Donna’s other best friend, Tanya, is the considered and world-wise creation of Alison Venning, who has the most fun with Does Your Mother Know sung with gay abandon to Matty Johnston’s Pepper, one of Sky’s cheeky best friends.

Jacob Shannon as Eddie, Sky’s other best friend, and Poppy Lombourne’s Lisa, together with Ava Crozier’s Ali, perfectly round out the joyous principal cast.

Mix it with a finger-snapping, high-kicking, chorus-crooning, toe-tapping ensemble and you have the perfect night out.

Shows begin on March 25 and run until April 17. Evening sessions start at 7.30pm, with matinees at 2pm. For exact dates and tickets, visit at noosaartstheatre.org.au or phone 5449 9343.

? w o n K U id D That this exhibition will introduce you

to our South East Queensland Wildlife

th th

GF Gruffalo

Loyalty Card

55x90 OL.

indd 1 2/25/202

1 6:08:29 PM

FREE ADMISSION OPEN 7 DAYS 9am - 5pm 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina, QLD gingerfactory.com.au

nd nd

Friday Friday 26 26 March March to to Sunday Sunday 2 May May Home of

The Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre 11a Maple Street, Cooroy 4563 www.butterfactoryartscentre.com.au

Phone: (07) 5442 6665 hello@butterfactoryartscentre.com.au butterfactoryartscentre

32

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

CREATIVE CUTS

Artists go wild in exhibition Peekaboo by Fiona Groom

A

rtists from the Sunshine Coast and surrounds are coming together to share their passion and create an exhibition that focuses on local wildlife.

The show at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre, titled Did U Know, has a variety of artworks featuring wildlife common to the region. There will also be a wall devoted to highlighting endangered, critically endangered and even extinct animals of the district.

The exhibition includes artists whose work is known nationally and internationally, and with experience in a variety of genres and media.

“The idea is about creating awareness of our Queensland animals,” says exhibition organiser Fiona Groom (pictured). “It’s about letting the viewer know what’s out there, informing them and hopefully generating further interest in finding out more.”

Included in the exhibition will be an interesting fact about each animal for all to read, creating an opportunity for viewers to learn something new as they move through the presentation.

It is hoped the exhibition will engage the public and bring awareness to the fragility of our local animal neighbours, in doing so creating a topic of conversation that could motivate the community to preserve the environment around them.

“Curator Fiona Groom has done an amazing job at gathering a group of incredible artists,” co-ordinator Alicia Sharples says. “Not only is this display breathtaking, it will also help bring conservation awareness to the wider community.”

A raffle will also be run during the exhibition, with all proceeds going to Wildlife SEQ, a wildlife rescue group that provides care, rehabilitation and release services for local native species.

White-cheeked Honeyeater

by Lindy Holmes

Their Future is in Our Hands

by Tony Wellington

The exhibition opens on March 26 and concludes on May 2.

Visit butterfactoryartscentre.com.au.

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY

BENNY ANDERSSON BJÖRN ULVAEUS

AND SOME SONGS WITH STIG ANDERSON

BOOK BY CATHERINE JOHNSON ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED BY JUDY CRAYMER DIRECTED BY DAVID WILLIAMS

CUT PRICE PREVIEW March 25 at 7.30pm, all tickets $33 GALA OPENING NIGHT March 26 at 7.30pm, all tickets $50 One free drink and light refreshments

EVENINGS April 1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15 ,16 ,17 at 7.30pm MATINEES March 27, 28 & April 3, 4, 10, 11 at 2pm

Adults $38 | Concession $33 | Member/Group $31 | U18 $28

CUT PRICE PREVIEW March 25 at 7.30pm, all tickets $33 GALA OPENING NIGHT March 26 at 7.30pm, all tickets $50

Adults $38 | Concession $33 Member/Group $31 | U18 $28

One free drink and light refreshments

EVENINGS April 1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15 ,16 ,17 at 7.30pm MATINEES March 27, 28 & April 3, 4, 10, 11 at 2pm BOOK ONLINE noosaartstheatre.org.au or phone 5449 9343 Counter Sales: Tues to Fri 10am to 2pm. 163 Weyba Road, Noosaville

Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).

All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

33

CREATIVE CUTS

Noosa/Caloundra

Remembering Doris

Natalie’s journey

Week of workshops

Renowned Australian singer-songwriter Melinda Schneider pays tribute to the legendary Doris Day with the nostalgic concert A Farewell To Doris at Noosa on March 20 and Caloundra on March 27.

A legend of stage, screen and song, Doris died in 2019 aged 97, leaving behind an incredible body of work, including iconic movies and unforgettable songs.

Melinda will sing timeless hits including Que Sera, Sera, Sentimental Journey, Everybody Loves a Lover and Secret Love, plus classic songs from the movies Calamity Jane, Love Me or Leave Me and The Pajama Game, as well as a number of Doris’ big band standards.

An Australian music icon, Melinda has enjoyed 40 years in the entertainment industry, releasing 14 albums and wining six Golden Guitar awards.

Shows are at The J Noosa and The Events Centre in Caloundra. Visit thej.com.au and theeventscentre.com.au.

Former Australian Idol winner Natalie Gauci has launched her latest project called Pictures of Mars, a nine-episode series of live-streamed events accompanied by songs that reveal her heartbreak-to-victory story.

“I had a very strong vision and now I am putting it all into action and sharing it with those who are also on this journey of self-discovery,” she says.

Episode one, Big Dream, goes back to the day of her 2007 Australian Idol audition and the moments that led to some of her darkest days. She says Pictures of Mars was written in these moments, to be held close to her for all these years until its release.

Maleny-based Natalie was one of 11 artists to receive support from the Regional Arts Development Fund for her project.

Visit natalierosegauci.com to book tickets to view each episode as she reveals her story and her healing.

Open Studios Sunshine Coast is inviting people to discover the rich and diverse talents of local artists throughout the region by visiting established and emerging artists in their own creative spaces.

This year’s event, from March 20-28, goes a step further, offering the chance to immerse yourself in workshops to learn, speak and create with artists who are excited to demonstrate and share their methods, media, ideas and insights.

You can try your hand at painting, paper collage, cold wax, colour mixing, macro photography, mosaics, pressed metal, mono-printing, resin, enamel jewellery making, sketching, airbrush techniques and more.

Art lovers and creators of any level, and even kids, are welcome to get involved. Workshop bookings are essential at openstudiossunshinecoast.com.au/workshops-events.

Pictured is a Kim Herringe postcards workshop.

Eudlo

34

Maleny

Caloundra

Caloundra

Gone bush

Best of the big bands

Tenors back on tour

Get ready for a night of bush dance revelry as Hotrhox and the Bale ’Em Up Bush Band get the party started this Easter Saturday.

Held under the stars at Eudlo’s Wominjeka Park, it promises to be a night of old-school fun, featuring band members Hotrhox, Brian Loughlin, Rabbit Robinson, Steve Knight and Gary Schwei.

The band has been doing bush dances and concerts since 1978. Leading from the front was Russell Horrocks, who used his on-stage personas of Hotrhox, Dr Hotrhox, Father Tom O’Foolery of the Populator Parish and Mr D to entertain the crowds with poems and parodies, original songs and traditional bush ballads. The band broke up in 1997 until mid-2020 when ex-members convinced Hotrhox to revive the band.

The show is from 7.30-11.30pm on April 3. Tickets are $25.

Camping is also available for $15. BYO food and drinks, picnic blanket, comfy chair, tent and so on.

For tickets visit hotrhoxandthebale-emupbushband.com.

Gold Coast-based 13-piece jazz orchestra Sweet Thunder (pictured) will feature at the Sunshine Coast Jazz Club on Sunday, March 21.

The show will trace the development of the big band, decade by decade, from the 1920s to the present. The polished and energetic group will present authentic performances of the music of the great bands and their arrangers such as Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, Thad Jones and Neal Hefti, and some of today’s masters such as John Clayton and Gordon Goodwin.

The repertoire includes Jumpin’ at the Woodside, It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), Don’t Be That Way, Take the A Train, King Porter Stomp and many more.

The event is at the Caloundra Power Boat Club with shows at noon and 4pm. Tickets are $20 for jazz club members, seniors $22.50, non-members $25. Phone 0427 782 960 to book.

Hit music group The Ten Tenors are set to hit the road again after more than a year off, with a national tour that will include Caloundra on July 2.

Now in their 25th year, The Ten Tenors have sold more than 2.8 million concert tickets and more than 1.2 million albums worldwide. They have performed in 34 countries (so far) and helped raise more than $11.25 million for charities.

The show will revisit the full history of the group’s 15 albums and more than 4000 live performances.

“We are ecstatic about the idea of doing shows again, especially to celebrate our 25th anniversary,” group member Jared Newall says.

The song list will feature favourites including Bohemian Rhapsody, Hallelujah and Nessun Dorma, plus their most requested medleys.

The Ten Tenors will play shows at 1pm and 7.30pm on July 2 at The Events Centre. For tickets visit thetentenors.com.

Image by Dylan Evans.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

CREATIVE CUTS

SHORT CUTS Symphony special

Nambour

Caloundra

Guitar maestro

Kids’ favourite on stage

Legendary guitarist and Musicians Hall of Fame inductee Louie Shelton is coming to the Majestic Theatre in Nambour on March 19.

Louie will present his Sounds of the Wrecking Crew show, amazing audiences with the songs, solos and riffs he created for some of the biggest artists in the world.

Over the past 50 years his work has featured on hits by the Monkees (Last Train To Clarksville), the Jackson Five (I Want You Back), Lionel Richie (Hello), the Carpenters (We’ve Only Just Begun, Close To You), Neil Diamond, Boz Scaggs, Barbra Streisand, Joe Cocker, the Mamas and Papas, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Diana Ross and many others.

Louie was also a member of the famous Wrecking Crew, a group of studio musicians who played on many of the hits from the early ’60s through the ’70s and ’80s.

The show is from 7pm. For tickets visit majesticcinemas. com.au/Page/Events.

Image by Michelle Cop (MC Photography).

The work of award-winning children’s writer Eric Carle will come to life at The Events Centre with a spectacular production adapted from his books.

Brought to life by a colourful menagerie of 75 loveable puppets, the critically acclaimed production faithfully adapts four of Eric Carle’s stories, including Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and of course, the star of the show, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

This enchanting Australian-made show transports audiences into a pop-up-like version of Carle’s world that will excite, educate and entertain the whole family.

“I hope the performances will be enjoyed by many and that the colourful characters bring comfort and joy to all who see the stories,” Carle said of the show.

Shows are on March 24 at 6pm and March 25 at 10am and noon. For tickets visit theeventscentre.com.au.

Music lovers on the Coast will have the chance to experience the magic of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra thanks to its special live stream of The Firebird on March 20, live from QPAC’s Concert Hall.

Written by the Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky, The Firebird is an astonishing orchestral suite of ballet music that tells the story of a prince who is aided by an enchanted bird.

The performance will be streamed to Majestic Cinemas in Nambour at 7.30pm.

Gemma returns After last touring with Adam Brand in 2017, Maleny-based country singer Gemma Kirby is back after taking time off to raise a family.

She has a new EP called Salon Sessions, Volume 1 featuring six cover tracks by some of the most inspiring women in the music industry including Katy Perry, Hailee Steinfeld and the McClymonts.

Gemma is also doing her Salon Sessions project across Australia, inviting audiences to a concert at their local beauty salons, accompanied by a podcast.

Visit gkofficial.com.

Jazz bursary The Sunshine Coast Jazz Club-sponsored Youth ’n’ Jazz Bursary has been relaunched for 2021.

The bursary offers two sections: Section A for jazz/ swing vocalists and Section B for jazz/swing cover instrumentalists.

Prizes of $3000 will be shared between the two section winners and four runners-up, and two $500 prizes be will be awarded to each section winners’ school music department.

Applications must be made by June 30. The final will be held in Caloundra on August 28. Visit sunshinecoastjazzclub.net.au.

Busking coup

Maroochydore

Bokarina

Songbook performance

Poem comes to life

The March meeting of the Jazz and Blues Collective will celebrate the prolific songwriting partnership of the incomparable Rodgers and Hart (pictured).

The Aaron Jansz Band will perform from the songbook of the duo, who worked together for 23 years and wrote 28 stage musicals, resulting in more than 500 songs.

The timeless nature of Rodgers and Hart’s songs has been displayed by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Peggy Lee and Tony Bennet, through to contemporaries Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr and more.

The members of the Aaron Jansz Band are Jess Spina (voice), Shannon Marshall (trumpet), Damian Sim (piano), Luke McIntosh: (double bass) and Aaron Jansz (drum set).

The show is at the Millwell Road Community Centre in Maroochydore on Sunday, March 28. Doors open at 1pm, music from 1.30-4pm. For tickets visit ticketebo.com.au/jazz-bluescollective.

Children aged four to 10 years old will love Little Match Productions’ presentation of The Owl and the Pussycat at Venue 114 in the Easter school holidays.

In the charming and intimate opera based on Edward Lear’s beloved poem, an owl and a pussycat sail across the sea in a pea-green boat for a year and a day to fair Bong-tree Bay. Adventure calls, new encounters await and love conquers all in a nostalgic musical journey that explores themes of love, adventure, harmony and acceptance.

Created by a national team of award-winning artists, the show features stunning vocals, interactive theatre, puppetry and a troupe of musical puffins. It invites children to participate in musical and multi-sensory ways to help the lovable couple reach their destination.

Shows are at 10am and 1pm on Tuesday, April 13. Tickets are $25 each, or $90 for a family of four (under-twos free on knee). Visit venue114.com.au or phone 5413 1400.

Image by Penny Challen.

A leading busking festival has packed up its tip hat and relocated from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast for the inaugural Buskers by the Lake.

The event, formerly known as Buskers by the Creek, has a reputation as one of the world’s premier busking events since its debut in 2014. It will be held at Lake Kawana in October 2021.

The 2019 event attracted more than 700 applications and showcased 300-plus performers to a record crowd of 20,000 festival-goers.

Art prize opens Entries are open for the 16th Sunshine Coast Art Prize, the flagship art event for the region with a prize pool of more than $30,000.

This year Museum of Brisbane director Renai Grace will be selecting the winning entries.

Entries close at 5pm on May 10. Finalist works will be on display in the Caloundra Regional Gallery from August 27.

Visit gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.

Single launch Noosa singer, electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist Syren, aka Lulu Madill, is about to release her new single Sacred Body.

With a film clip shot at Sunshine Beach and Kenilworth, Syren describes it as “more than a song ... it's a movement of remembering how sacred we truly are”.

The single will launch on March 19 at the Coolum Civic Centre, as well as on online platforms.

MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

35

QOIN

A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

Future of investing is here M

ore and more Australians are turning to cryptocurrencies, with a recent survey revealing that more people invest in digital currencies than precious metals such as gold and silver.

The independent research, commissioned by Australian cryptocurrency and digital assets exchange BTC Markets, surveyed more than 2000 Australian investors in February. It found 12.1 per cent of respondents held investments in precious metals, compared with 12.6 per cent having investments in

cryptocurrencies. One of the newest digital currencies in Australia is Qoin. Since the Qoin Association was established in Queensland in 2019, more than 31,000 merchants have joined Qoin. Built on blockchain, Qoin offers merchants and consumers an innovative and secure alternative to connect and interact.

This month, the Sunny Coast Times is featuring just a handful of the local businesses that have adopted the digital currency. From hair and beauty treatments to health clinics

and self-storage, there is no shortage of businesses that are already accepting Qoin on the Coast.

“Merchants and consumers are becoming more aware of the concept of digital currency. Global trends indicate that digital currency is the future way to conduct business,” Qoin Australia chief marketing officer Andrew Barker says.

“Supporting small business is the cornerstone of Qoin. The Qoin model stands apart from other digital currencies in that the value of Qoin increases as the merchant ecosystem grows.

The more businesses that join the Qoin community, the more everyone benefits, providing a vital boost to local economies.

“Now more than ever, Australian small businesses are looking for innovative ways to sustain cashflow and make the most of their down time. Qoin enables them to do both while offering a payment method to their customers that is fast, secure and virtually contactless.”

Qoin has been designed to offer both businesses and consumers the opportunity to transact on a day-to-day basis, or accumulate digital assets for potential future growth and liquidity. Through a directory-based Qoin wallet, consumers are able to search, contact and transact with their favourite merchants in-store and online.

BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler says she is not surprised at the numbers of Australians investing in cryptocurrency.

“Digital assets and cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly popular among Australian investors of all ages,” she says.

“In the last 12 months we have seen a shift from 25 to 45-year-old males to a much broader age group, particularly early retirees who are interested in diversifying their investment portfolio and are catching up with this fastest-growing asset class.”

Visit qoin.world.

SUNNY COAST MEDIA

ANNOUNCEMENT At Sunny Coast Media we have recently begun accepting Qoin digital currency as a form of payment for advertising in both the Sunny Coast Times and Hinterland Times publications.

To celebrate this, we are giving away 50 Qoin ($300 approx value at time of print) to all new Qoin merchants for use on advertising in either of our publications.

S UNNY COAST TIMES

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MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Scan the QR code to find out more and apply.

Limited availability and t & c’s apply.

ADVERTISING FEATURE: QOIN MERCHANTS

Blend Hair and Spa For a salon with a warm and relaxing environment, visit Blend Hair and Spa at Caloundra.

The staff know and love their trade and are committed to providing high-quality, gorgeous hair and skin treatments. They specialise in hair, beauty, make-up and spa services with natural base ingredients and products.

They provide advanced skin treatments, Balinese and relaxing massage, and all the latest advanced hair colour and styles.

Jeanette loves chatting to people, making them feel special and relaxing them. Her favourite is doing skin treatments with her latest advanced skin equipment and then seeing her clients’ face glow when they see the instant difference.

“What I enjoy most about my salon is my amazing and supportive team,” she says. “Together we make a difference in our clients lives’ by either simply giving them a new fresh look with their hair or improving their skin or relaxing them on our massage table.”

F45 Mooloolaba and Maroochydore The use of Qoin at F45 Mooloolaba and Maroochydore has brought extra income through the ever-growing Qoin community. Potential clients are willing to travel to utilise their digital cash at the best team training fitness franchise in the world. When we joined the Qoin community we realised the value of the extra exposure you receive through the QShop and social media platforms.

F45 is the most effective, efficient and fun way to train.

We incorporate functional movements that are designed to target fat loss and help to build and maintain lean muscle mass. It is team training that will be life-changing.

Two (or more) personal trainers are on hand at every class to keep motivation rocketing as you work your way through the stations and correct your form, and offer alternatives for members who want or need them.

The training at F45 Mooloolaba and Maroochydore is addictive and the support is phenomenal.

endED At endED we are acutely aware of the significant financial outlay that is often required in eating disorder recovery, so we provide our individual recovery coaching services and support groups for a small donation to anyone in need.

Both the recovery coaching and the groups play an invaluable role in our clients’ recovery journeys. For many, having someone with lived experience to walk alongside on their journey to freedom has literally been life-changing.

However, at present we only have the funds to employ three recovery coaches and have a lengthy waiting list of individuals seeking our support services.

You have the opportunity to help a vulnerable individual break free from this insidious illness by joining the endED 150 Club. For as little as $150 a month, you will contribute to the employment of a lived experience recovery coach, and saving a life.

Contact Mark Forbes on 0407 592 932 or info@endED.org.au.

Eating Disorder recovery can be an incredibly lonely journey endED’s Recovery Coaches walk the journey with sufferers helping them each and every day to strengthen their Healthy Self.

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By joining the endED 150 Club today you will be helping to support Ea ng Disorder sufferers to find their freedom. For as li�le as �150��onth your company will be contribu ng to the employment of a lived experience endED recovery coach. endED is in the process of se�ng up a dedicated endED 150 CLUB webpage that will be added to the exis ng endED website. Your company logo will be adver sed on this page in recogni on of your support.

We encourage you to set up a monthly direct debit to : endED Ltd BSB 084447 Account 975088102 Because of you there is HOPE

CURRENT OFFERS MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

37

ADVERTISING FEATURE: QOIN MERCHANTS

Hair Hub Buderim

GoodMix

Conscious Corrections

My name is Samantha, but you can call me Sam. I relocated to the Coast five years ago with a dream of creating a boutique salon – a local hub – and created the Hair Hub Cafe (now the Hair Hub Buderim).

So why choose me? I am 37 and have been hairdressing since I was 15, so I have plenty of experience.

I have owned many salons in Victoria, so I know the value of putting my customer first.

Before having kids I travelled Australia teaching hair cutting, styling and colouring. I even styled hair at L’Oreal Fashion Week in Melbourne, so you can trust you will only have the best.

I love nothing more than crafting the right cut for your face shape and hair type.

I also believe in sustainability and going chemicalfree. And I love helping local businesses, so if you own a business on the Coast too, let’s join forces and support each other and the local community.

High-quality superfood products don’t have to cost the earth. These products can also be purchased with Qoin, so we’re heading into the future with digital currency.

We offer two breakfast blends, a bliss ball mix, a vegan burger mix and a greens and aloe drink.

All our products are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan and organic.

Of the breakfast blends, Blend 11 is low FODMAP and the other, Blend 13, is paleo. They’re analysed by the CSIRO and proven to improve digestive health, bowel health and to stimulate the complete removal of waste products!

Products are sold at select health food shops Australia-wide and at markets. Come to the markets to sample our products or go to goodmix.com.au for orders Australia-wide. Use the promo code ‘Digest’ and receive free shipping on your first order when placed online.

Call Adrienne for distribution points on 0408 446 509.

Is your body and the pain it’s in is holding you back from having fun with your friends, kids or partner? Are you over feeling down about your image and wish that things would just change already?

I’m Bek from Conscious Corrections and I believe that everyone I treat has the potential for a better quality of life and living. I use a variety of profound yet gentle healing techniques to offer assistance in improving an individual's mind, body and soul.

The primary way I treat people to reduce physical ailments is bowen therapy.

If you are the type of person that knows there is more to your life, I’m here to tell you it’s possible and I want to help!

If you would like to know more about me, my therapy or my clinic visit consciouscorrections.com. Book on my website to redeem the below voucher.

C Conscious onscious C orrections Corrections

HeySal, Sunshine Coast can you please remove the best poo e I’m Idoing something special to help think it rates to really the other product.....can yo the good peoplemix of the Sunshine Coast to be big and bold at top , ok to h space if need be For just $47 you will receive...

Special Offer

Book in with Sam herself available Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm and receive $50 off your first visit.

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(usually priced at $100)

Cash or Qoin payment accepted

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MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

Visit www.consciouscorrec ons.com to book today or call 0456 865 559

ADVERTISING FEATURE: QOIN MERCHANTS

Sandi Chapman Homeopath and bowen therapist Sandi Chapman runs her clinic in the Caloundra CBD. The therapies she uses assist the body to instigate its own healing via a gentle but significant series of bowen moves. She also uses homeopathic medicines to heighten the body’s ability to heal itself.

Sandi began her studies in classical homeopathy in 1991. Despite her real estate career taking a large part of her time, as well as being a sole parent of two amazing children, she managed to finally complete her advanced diploma in 2008. She was introduced to bowen therapy in 2006 and later completed a Cert IV and specialised diploma of Bowtech bowen therapy.

She has attended lectures with world-class homeopaths, and most recently completed an advanced homeopathic course put together by Dr Prassanta Banerji and his colleagues.

Sandi is affiliated with the ANTA (Australian Natural Therapists Association) and BAA (Bowen Association of Australia). Phone 0414 378 835.

Diamond Light Quantum Transformations Life is an energy exchange system. Healing and feeling good come from optimising the exchange of energy between you and your environment.

Optimising energy exchange will help you to eliminate fatigue, stress and pain because all are symptoms of distortions of the source, strength, flow and value of energy within your system. Assessing and correcting the body’s energy and communication systems improves the body’s own ability to heal and stay healthy.

Diamond Light Quantum Transformations offers holistic therapies to return balance within body, mind and spirit. By incorporating a variety of modalities, your entire energy system can be recalibrated back to health.

Carol has been a practising intuitive healing therapist for over 25 years. With a bachelor’s degree in metaphysical sciences, she is also a certified reiki master, magnetic mind coach, NES health practitioner and NLP practitioner, and is now studying for her doctorate in metaphysical sciences.

Lockaway Self-Storage For a cost-effective way to store all of your personal goods, boats, caravans and more, Lockaway Self-Storage Sunshine Coast is your answer.

Lockaway is a locally owned business established in 1995 that provides customers with a full range of business and personal storage solutions, including packing materials. All units are located on the ground floor for easy access.

Lockaway is proud to support local charities and supply their storage needs, so when you store with Lockaway you will help support groups including endEd, Uniforms for Kids, My Wedding Wish, Legacy and more.

We will be accepting Qoin currency, which we believe is an innovative future-orientated commercial enterprise.

We look forward to working with Qoin users and providing top service to local businesses in the future. We believe, as Qoin does, that pushing the boundaries can and will allow small businesses to thrive and give optimal access for and to customers.

Sandi Chapman - Energy Healer Homeopath & Bowen Therapist Get well with Bowen Therapy and Homeopathy

Servicing the Immediate Areas of Nambour, Maroochydore, Buderim, Mooloolaba & Chancellor Park

Receive gentle but powerful results for your aches and pains with Bowen Therapy. Or perhaps you would prefer an Essential Oil massage technique with 100% therapeutic grade oils. Sandi is also a Homeopathic Natural Therapist so can help with many conditions.

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39

IN HOME

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY

REHABILITATION

WE COME TO YOU Function Plus Therapy is a new Allied Health (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and other) service providing in home rehabilitation.

We are highly experienced, senior level therapists with 25 years combined experience between two directors, Emily and Carlicia.

We provide assessment, rehabilitation, equipment prescription and home modification assessment for a wide range of conditions including but not limited to: • • • • • • • • •

Lymphoedema Stroke Progressive neurological disorders (Parkinson’s Disease, MS, MND etc) Chronic respiratory & other chronic disease Aged care (reduced mobility, falls, de-conditioning) Orthopaedic Amputation and prosthetic rehab Acquired brain injury Spinal cord injury

What funding is available?

• • • • • •

NDIS (Plan and Self-managed) Home Care Package / CHSP Enhanced Primary Care Plan (co-payment required) DVA Private Health (dependant on individual cover) Private payments “The service that Carly gives me is exceptional.

She is warm and friendly and I think she is the most the wonderful therapist that has ever come to visit. She looks after me so well and I can’t recommend her highly enough.”

Time for a check-up B

reastScreen Queensland is encouraging women who may have put off having regular health checks during the pandemic to return to regular breast cancer screening.

Women between 50 and 74 years old are strongly encouraged to have a breast screen every two years, but currently less than 55 per cent of women in this age group living in the Sunshine Coast, Gympie and Caboolture areas have a regular breast screen.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in seven Queensland women by the age of 85.

Charity reveals transitionary care accommodation plan

W

ishlist has announced its plans to deliver a four-level transitionary care facility next to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

"On completion, Wishlist Centre (Stage One) accommodation will support more patients and families and carers who may not otherwise be able to afford to stay close to Sunshine Coast hospitals during their ongoing hospital treatment or before or after treatment," Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said.

"More than accommodation, the facility will be supported by not-for-profit, the public and private sectors offering a circleof-care to patients and their families.”

One of the Sunshine Coast's most respected charity organisations, Wishlist is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY carlicia@functionpl.us | 0455120077 PHYSIOTHERAPY emily@functionpl.us | 0414 898 516

Scan to see Cardiac under ‘Our Services’ on our website

sunshinecoastuniversityprivate.com.au 3 Doherty Street, Birtinya QLD 4575

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MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

to fundraising for the needs of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service.

The project is supported by a grant of $12 million from the Federal Government.

“It is hard not to be passionate about the need for patient and family accommodation in our community," Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said.

Wishlist Centre (Stage One) will have 20 rooms for transitionary care accommodation and support services, with construction to start in mid-2021 to complement the two existing accommodation facilities owned and operated by Wishlist.

Heart of the Coast

Norma (92)

www.functionpl.us

Regular breast cancer screening is the best way to detect breast cancer early, increasing treatment options and saving lives.

BreastScreen Queensland provides a free, high-quality service for all eligible women over 40 at six sites across the region. In addition, the mobile service visits over a dozen rural towns and shopping centres to make access to breast screening as easy as possible.

In March the BreastScreen mobile service will be visiting Kenilworth, Nambour Mill Shopping Centre and Tin Can Bay. To make an appointment ring 13 20 50. No doctor’s referral is needed.

Visit wishlistcentre.org.au.

The Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital is the Coast’s only comprehensive cardiac service. We offer diagnostic and interventional cardiology as well as cardiac surgery, supported by a top class Coronary Care and Intensive Care Unit.

Quality care, close to home.

Ask your GP for a referral.

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY

Finding value in yourself IMAGE

by KERRIE FRIEND

L

et’s be very clear: self-love is not about being selfish. It’s about understanding the importance of accepting yourself where you are right now, appreciating that person, making time for that person and loving that person.

So often we spend our days taking care of our family, work,

staying healthy and life happenings, and slowly but surely feelings of inadequacy can begin to take over. Regularly referred to as burnout, when it happens everybody around you often suffers, not just you. Most of us, especially after the year that was COVID, have experienced it and it’s not fun. In fact, coming

out the other side of it requires effort to reset and refocus our self-love pillar and start loving ourselves back to wholeness. And there are some simple things you can do to ensure this happens.

Start by taking at least 30 minutes a day to sit quietly, pray, meditate, journal or practise complete stillness. Reflect on what really matters to you, write down your innermost thoughts, what you’re grateful for, and also create new plans and fresh ideas.

Our souls need revitalising and nourishing to keep hope alive in our hearts. And just like exercise, it doesn’t happen without effort. What you put into loving yourself eventually comes out.

Walks, cooking, reading, dates, learning new skills, catching up with friends, decluttering, listening to podcasts and so many other things take on new meanings when you know you’re taking care of yourself and practising good self-love.

Don’t underestimate the power of nurturing your image (spirit, soul and body) because from it comes an abundance of wholeness and wellness. Creating space for tranquility and soul projects refines your focus and makes you much more effective and advances your self-love journey.

I love making a list every month of the things that bring me joy, then include them into my life. They are very important and I make them unalterable (unless necessary) as they make me feel good and help take care of my soul. Take some time and consider how you want your joy list to look and start implementing it into your life. Some suggestions include coffee dates with friends, walks in nature, reading a book at the beach, volunteering at an animal shelter, visiting an art gallery, listening to audio books, enjoying a beauty day, writing a note to someone special, reorganising your closet, meal-prepping for the week, watching a documentary, making a phone or Zoom call to someone you’ve been meaning to catch up with, making a meal for a neighbour and so on. The list is endless but the meaning behind it is all about you serving yourself a good amount of self-love and valuing yourself.

The last ingredients of your self-love pillar include nourishing you with good food, lots of water, exercise and quality rest. All these rituals bring the reward of a happier and healthier you, and will have you glowing from the inside out.

God bless, Kerrie www.kerriefriend.com

Oral Art Denture Clinic and Dental Ceramics will give you a new reason to smile. We use the best quality materials from Switzerland and take pride in our excellent service and workmanship. Your satisfaction is our priority.

Make an appointment to see us for a FREE initial consultation We specialise in full removable dentures Partial dentures Relines and repairs Mouthguards/ sports mouthguards and occlusal splints Dentures on implants All ceramic and implant work for dentists CAD CAM and 3-D printing Most private health funds and DVA claims are processed immediately Registered with Dental Board of Australia | Australian Dental Prosthetic Association

Contact Derik Reinecke 07 5597 4633 0408 784 643oral. art@bigpond.com Accept eftpos, Visa and Master cards

Shop 5, 168 Main Street Village Square, Montville www.oralart.com.au MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

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Carers, take a break. You deserve it.

If ever there was a time that carers deserve a break, it is now.

The quality of life of a loved one can greatly depend on the carer’s wellbeing, so it is vitally important for carers to look after themselves too.

Consider McKenzie Respite Care for the person you care for, while you take some much needed time to rest and rejuvinate. As a carer, you can feel assured that while you take some time for yourself, your loved one will be receiving the best in quality care.

1300 899 222

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43

NATURE

Rental crisis hits pets too

by PENNY BRISCHKE Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge

W

e can’t believe it’s March already. We have had so many amazing and touching stories already this year at SCARS. We’ve also seen alarming numbers of surrenders related to the rental crisis on the Sunny Coast.

Families have been unable to secure rentals that are pet-friendly and so are having to surrender their much-loved family pets. Something really has to be done about this situation. We are dealing with people who are living in their cars, trying desperately to keep their animals … we have never seen it quite so bad as it is this year.

Back to the touching stories – 10-year-old male cat Kipp was left at the local council pound unclaimed. He wasn’t microchipped and so wasn’t able to be reunited with his owner.

When we took Kipp into SCARS care he was in a pretty sad state.

We popped him out to a foster home and did all his vet work and microchipped him. He also needed to have one of his eyes removed due to a medical condition. Fast forward a couple of weeks and we began advertising him on our social media sites.

Amazingly his original owner saw one of the posts and we were able to reunite them, much to everyone’s delight, including Kipp’s. Moral of the story: get your animals microchipped and keep the details up to date.

In November we took a sweet little staffy girl called Emjay (pictured) into our care. As with all animals that enter our care, she received a full vet check. Unfortunately Emjay tested positive for heartworm. Heartworm doesn’t generally affect cats but in dogs it causes heart failure and can be fatal. It is transmitted by mosquitoes from one infected dog to another. Once diagnosed it can be treated, but this is costly and not always successful.

Luckily for us, Emjay is responding well to treatment.

If you are wanting to add a forever furry friend to your family and home, please consider contacting SCARS or other reputable rescues.

Visit sippycreek.com.au.

Crowing glory of bird world

by VIC JAKES

A male rose-crowned fruit dove. Image by Vic Jakes

M

y property in the Sunshine Coast hinterland is, most fortunately, blessed with small pockets of rainforest through which a small but permanently flowing creek meanders. Within this moist environment, an abundance of native fruiting trees, as well as a variety of palms, has flourished. Hardly surprising, therefore, that this habitat is routinely inhabited by a whole range of birds that like to call south-east Queensland home.

Among them is what I consider to be one of Australia’s most attractively plumaged birds, the rose-crowned fruit dove, Ptilinopus regina. It is found in parts of Indonesia as well as northern and eastern Australia, where the range extends as far south as the mid-north coast of New South Wales.

It is easy to understand how this delightful bird gets its name, with the distinctive pink crown of the adult bird remarkably similar to the colour of the fruits of the lilly pilly, which are part of its diet. This deep pink forehead is delicately bordered behind by a narrow yellow band, which gives way to grey, before, at the base of the back of the neck, bright green plumage covers the whole of its back. Blue-green becomes prominent in the primary feathers of the wings, edged again in yellow, with a similar palette on the upper tail. The under-body is no less flamboyant, being orange and yellow with a rose-coloured belly patch that matches its cap.

The chest is the same grey as its neck but, even here, the plumage is strangely spiky.

It is, therefore, hard to believe that this small, but

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magnificently plumaged dove, with its dramatic colours, can be very difficult to see, but many locals have never seen one. The doves are, however, much more common than sightings suggest and their presence high in the fruiting trees of the forests around the Sunshine Coast and hinterland is often revealed by strong calls that belie their tiny size.

Anyone who can recognise the distinctive call of the much larger wompoo fruit dove will easily be able to detect the rosecrowned fruit dove, as its call is a double ‘poo’, identical in tone and strength of the second note of the wompoo.

I have, over the years, been lucky enough to observe this beautiful dove regularly – in some cases, sadly, because one has committed hara-kiri by flying into a window pane. Surprisingly, the doves have, on more than one occasion, been quite happy to choose lilly pilly trees within metres of my home as the location for their flimsy nest. The half dozen or so short thin twigs, which they call a nest, provide a precarious flat platform barely 10cm across on which to lay their single white egg, which can easily be seen from beneath. Perhaps some security is gained by the fact that there is so little nesting material that, to a potential predator, there is little to attract attention. Both parent birds incubate the egg for some two weeks, with the fledgling, if it has avoided predation or falling, leaving the nest after around 12 days.

A sighting of this handsome bird is most likely to be achieved by listening for its distinctive robust call and then looking high into the fruiting canopy of the rainforest – an effort that will, with success, prove most rewarding.

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REAL ESTATE SUNNY COAST TIMES

Wallpaper set for a resurgence

Why stock on market matters

T

he world of interior design and decoration can be fickle. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of bold tropical leaves, cheeky animal prints and striking geometric patterns – fun, bright, colourful.

So, what can we expect in 2021? It seems wallpaper will continue to be a key design trend.

Anri Bond, area sales manager for Radford Furnishings, believes the trend will gain even more popularity as professional designers, builders and home renovators embrace new wallpaper offerings.

“Wallpaper will continue to be key across residential and commercial design as we develop and enjoy a huge range of pattern, texture and colour options,” she says.

When looking at wallpaper, the choices can seem endless.

Colour and pattern are priority when selecting your perfect wallpaper.

“We can expect to see interesting plays between paint and wallpaper as clients mix tones and pattern to create impressive, original looks,” Radford ICON director David Marks says.

“To achieve this in your space, try wallpapering above a chair rail and paint below in a complementary colour.”

With that in mind, whether you are searching for a geometric, pretty floral, traditional pattern, trompe ‘l’oeil, tropical or vibrant animal pattern, there is absolutely something to suit every taste and every colour palette.

“Often our customers are nervous about using wallpaper, telling us it’s hard to install, it’s hard to clean, it won’t last,” says Inspirations Paint chief colour consultant Kelly Van der Maat.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen great advancements in product development so this just isn’t the case any more – quality wallpaper is easy to clean and easily removed so your wallpaper selection isn’t the ‘life sentence’ it used to be.”

For colour inspiration and paint advice, drop into one of the Inspiration Paint stores in Nambour, Noosaville and Currimundi.

by ANTONIA MERCORELLA CEO, Real Estate Institute of Queensland

T

here is plenty of media around at present regarding the low volume of stock that is for sale in Queensland, but why is it so important for market conditions?

In essence, when there is a stock supply or buyer demand imbalance, we generally see prices either rise or fall depending on which element is off-kilter. For example, a few years ago, there was an oversupply of units in Brisbane, which caused a drag on prices for both new and existing stock for a time.

However, one of the knock-on effects of the pandemic is something that many people didn’t predict, which is a drastic reduction in stock for sale in many parts of the state. In fact, some property commentators thought the opposite would happen when the virus landed on our shores a year ago, but that situation never came to pass.

According to the latest CoreLogic market indicators, the number of properties listed for sale in Brisbane was down more than 28 per cent in early February compared to the same period before. The volume of sales listings is also down on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, in particular, where total property listings are the lowest in more than a decade, with strong price growth already under way.

There are a number of possible reasons for the low volume of listings for sale, with the better-than-expected economic conditions likely one of the main ones. Similarly, homeowners are enjoying the lowest interest rates on record, which is no doubt helping them to manage their mortgage repayments. Investors are seeing strengthening rents across Queensland, which, when coupled with historically low interest rates, is assisting them with cash flow and yields. Both of these scenarios mean that that the usual flow of people who may need to sell has been curtained somewhat.

The inflows of people migrating to Queensland is also having an impact on supply levels, with many buying before they have even arrived in their new home towns. That said, an interesting insight from the most recent interstate migration figures shows something else happening – or not happening as it seems.

Queensland has long had strong interstate migration because of its superior climate as well as affordable property prices. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics provisional regional internal migration estimates, Queensland gained the most people from net interstate migration over the September 2020 quarter of anywhere in the nation.

There was a net gain of 7200 people from internal migration in the September 2020 quarter, compared with 6800 in the previous quarter and 5500 in the September 2019 quarter, according to the ABS. In fact, the net gain for the 2020 quarter was the largest since the December 2017 quarter, up 7700.

However, an interesting statistic in the data set was also the reduction in the number of departures from Queensland to other parts of the country, which decreased from 17,400 to 15,100. So, with fewer people leaving Queensland but more people arriving, it becomes quite simple to understand why stock on market can’t keep up with demand.

The volume of people who may have usually left the Sunshine State for, say, Sydney and Melbourne have fallen, which correspondingly means the properties that they own or rent are not put on the market for sale or lease.

Of course, no one has a crystal ball but all indicators seem to point to strong market conditions over the short- to medium-term, with a low supply of listings set to be a key factor for some time yet.

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REAL ESTATE

SUNNY COAST TIMES

Holiday Inn construction commences

Karl and Lindi Rademeyer presenting a cheque to Elizabeth Hefferen of Make-A-Wish Sunshine Coast.

Images by What I See Photography

W

ork has started on a 181-room, nine-storey hotel in the new Maroochydore CBD. Global investment firm Pro-invest Group’s Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sunshine Coast, on First Ave, will feature a rooftop swimming pool, bar and dining venue, conference and function facilities, parking and ground-level retail space.

“We believe Holiday Inn Express and Suites Sunshine Coast is a great addition to Maroochydore, particularly as the region transitions from a largely leisure-based to a more diversified market with major growth in businesses establishing themselves in the city centre to take advantage of the large-scale infrastructure projects currently underway,” Pro-Invest Group co-CEO Jan Smits said.

National construction company Minicon has been engaged to undertake the construction.

“Our council is very pleased to see this project come out of the ground, at a time when we are encouraging opportunities to support the recovery of our tourism and hospitality industries,” mayor Mark Jamieson said.

“This project will provide a significant economic boost to the region with up to 1500 people working on the project during construction as well as 30 full- and part-time staff employed when the hotel is operational.”

Alex apartments project complete

Ball supports charity efforts

Monica Hansen, Gillian Hendry, Jan Tuckwell, Lindi Rademeyer, Emma Clewlow, Helen Lund and Jodie Carrick-Ryan

M

ore than 140 guests have dressed to thrill at the Make-A-Wish Diamonds are Forever Ball, held at Twin Waters’ Novotel Sunshine Coast.

The evening was in support of Make-A-Wish Australia and the valuable work it does in making special wishes come true for children with critical and life-threatening illnesses.

Guests were thoroughly entertained by hosts Todd and Sami from 92.7 Mix FM and guest speaker and Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Leisel Jones.

RE/MAX First Caloundra owners Karl and Lindi Rademeyer said they were proud to again be the lead sponsors of the event.

“It is such a privilege for us to be able to support the fantastic work of Make-A-Wish,” Lindi said.

“It was a wonderful night full of fun and laughter, and everyone had a fantastic time.”

Other supporters included Billy J Boutique, Diamonds of Distinction and McArthur Plumbing.

Todd, Lindi and Sami

D

esign and construction company McNab’s $70 million Beach Life Alex project is now complete, with just one apartment in the building remaining for sale.

McNab Sunshine Coast general manager Carl Nancarrow said projects such as Beach Life Alex were a great example of how the Coast can enjoy sustainable growth without compromising on quality of life.

“We are excited to add value to the Sunshine Coast skyline with the completion of Beach Life Alex’s 57 apartments at Alexandra Headland and see this type of product – as well as other medium-density developments – as an important part of the planning solution in dealing with the region’s anticipated growth,” he said.

“We’re also partnering with Cube Developments to build One Prosperity at Birtinya, which includes 50 terrace-style, waterfront apartments set over two storeys … Projects such as these are good news not only for those looking to purchase in a very tight property market, but also for local trades as our construction industry continues to thrive on the Coast.”

Cube Developments director Scott Juniper said the demand had been evident at Beach Life Alex.

“The Sunshine Coast real estate market has been very short of supply, especially in Alexandra Headland, which attracts more than the fair share of buyers due to its proximity to the beach and the enviable lifestyle this offers,” he said.

Only one four-bedroom apartment remains on Level 5 at $1,585,000. Visit beachlifealex.com.au.

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What’s my property worth?

Scan Here – QR Code or call Carmel on 0488 443 239 “Carmel was well versed in our requirements. She achieved better than expected results, answered every question asked of her and obviously loves her job. We are extremely satis ed and it was a pleasure to work with her.” Vendor “The sale process was seamless and we were extremely happy with the entire process. Communication was amazing we had questions at various times of the day which was always answered either by email, txt or phone calls.

The open homes were handled very professionally and feed back was supplied with great detail. Highly recommend.” Vendor

Contact Carmel Fulton on 07 5373 5077 or 0488 443 239 www.tmestateagents.com.au

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SPORT

SUNNY COAST TIMES

Swim classes for migrants

T

he Royal Life Saving Society Queensland and Sunshine Coast Council are teaming up to offer free swimming classes designed specifically for migrant men and women.

Registrations are now open for the Migrant Learn to Swim and Beach Safe program, which runs for seven weeks from March 20.

Indian migrant Monika Manot (pictured) lives with her family on the Sunshine Coast and participated in the program last year.

“I always had a fear of water and I didn’t know how to swim when I first came to Australia,” she says. “The lovely instructors gave us lessons on how to be comfortable in the water, what to do and what not to do when you panic. I enjoyed the lessons, they gave an opportunity to meet other migrants as well.”

The classes will be held at Goodlife Community Centre, Buderim (women only); Nambour and Caloundra aquatic centres; and Bulcock Beach, Caloundra. To register visit sunshinecoast.qld. gov.au.

Rip City sign WNBL champ

T

he University of the Sunshine Coast Basketball Club has signed Canberra Capitals forward Alex Delaney and former St Mary's guard Jasmine Forcadilla for the 2021 NBL1 North season.

Rip City women's coach Jamie Glover said he was pleased to attract WNBL-calibre talent to the Sunshine Coast and was confident of building a deep squad for the inaugural NBL1 North season.

Delaney (pictured), who won the WNBL title with the Capitals in 2019-20 season, has played three seasons in the WNBL after a four-year stint in the US collegiate system playing for St Francis Brooklyn.

“I’m super excited about playing on the Coast for this upcoming season,” Delaney said. “I’m excited to work with coach Jamie and have the opportunity to take full advantage of the amazing facilities at USC.” Forcadilla, who played four years in America for St Mary's Gaels before returning home to the Central Coast Crusaders last year, hopes the NBL1 is a stepping stone to the WNBL. “I believe that Rip City is the perfect environment for me to improve my skills,” Forcadilla said. “Jamie’s vision for the season ahead, complemented by the team he’s built around it, is an ideal situation for me.”

Meanwhile, the men's team has signed Brisbane Bullets forward Tanner Krebs for the NBL1 North season.

Coach Nathan Arousi said it was “extremely exciting” to welcome Krebs, 25, to the Coast.

Show of support

R

ugby union players from around the Coast have come together to support 16-year-old Josh Ward, who was recently struck down by basilar artery occlusion.

The Year 12 student at St Andrew’s Anglican College in Peregian Springs will require the support of his family and friends through his rehabilitation from the stroke.

The match, between the Noosa and Flinders rugby clubs, was held at Matthew Flinders Anglican College’s Forrester Fields in Buderim as a way to show support for the passionate young rugby player.

Josh was a member of the Saints Rugby Club through his primary school years and more recently at the Noosa Dolphins.

In 2018 he was part of a combined under-14s Flinders-Saints

team that was crowned premier of the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union Junior Competition.

The match involved a number of the boys who were teammates of Josh in that victorious Flinders-Saints team.

“One of the main responsibilities of every school is to ensure that its students, past and present, feel supported and cared for by their school community,” Flinders principal Stuart Meade said.

“This rugby match was one way we can all come together to give Josh the support and friendship he will benefit from as he focuses on his health and rehabilitation.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Josh. Visit gofund.me/6a02b77a.

Proper preparation is critical on water

by JOHN GASPAROTTO Caloundra Volunteer Coast Guard

W

ith many recreational boating breakdowns occurring in our area, Coast Guard Caloundra is urging boaties to be well prepared before hitting the water.

Proper preparation is vital to ensuring that you return home safely, especially if it’s been a while since your boat was last used.

Ensure that your vessel’s motor is in good order by having it checked by a qualified mechanic.

Old fuel can cause damage to expensive marine engines and result in breakdowns on the water. If you haven’t used your boat for a while, fuel should be replaced.

The Caloundra Coast Guard helps out a boatie

Ensure you have a life jacket for each person on board, and know when they will need to wear one; check the weather conditions at bom.gov.au; carry the right safety gear and that it is in good working order; have enough fuel for your trip; and tell someone where you will launch from, where you are going and when you expect to return.

Remember that coming to the assistance of a boat in difficulties is made much more difficult if you have not told anyone where you are going and when you will return. Log in to the Caloundra Coast Guard via your radio on channel 73 on VHF set or Channel 91 on a 27mg set, or phone 5491 3533. It might just save your life.

Buy & Sell online now in the Sunny Coast Media Mall Your local online marketplace

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MARCH 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES

SPORT

SUNNY COAST TIMES

Ace coach on Coast

A

n internationally renowned tennis coach who has worked with the likes of Grand Slam winner Sam Stosur and former world No.4 Johanna Konta has relocated to the Sunshine Coast.

Sydney-born Simon Walsh has spent the past 30 years living and working overseas, mostly travelling for 40 weeks a year on the Women's Tennis Association circuit. He has lived in Slovenia, the US, China, Qatar, UK and Germany.

But due to the pandemic his travel has been restricted, so he decided to return home to Australia. With close friends and family on the Coast – including his brother Ben, who owns and runs the successful Miss Moneypenny's restaurant in Noosa’s Hastings St – Simon made the decision to settle in the area.

In his career, Simon (pictured) has coached professional players at 64 Grand Slams and was national senior coach of Britain, China and Qatar, as well as being involved with the Japanese, Slovenian and Ukrainian Fed Cup teams. He says it’s hard to pinpoint his greatest career achievement.

“I have had to work at the highest levels of the sport and

where that has taken me on my journey, I'm very thankful,” he says. “It’s been an amazing ride and a privilege to work with so many wonderfully talented players and great people.”

Simon is also in the process of writing his first book, called Life Behind the Skirt, which he calls a funny and honest look at life on the professional tennis circuit. Can he share any interesting anecdotes from the book?

“One of my fun claim-to-fames is that I played and beat the great Maria Sharapova at tennis … but the catch was it was table tennis during a rain delay at a tournament in Connecticut,” he says. “We had a bet that the loser buys a drink – well I actually beat her and it didn't go down well. She walked off in disgust and I never did get that drink.”

Simon is now the resident tennis professional coach at the Atlantis Resort Marcoola, and is offering to share his expertise with tennis players on the Coast, especially aspiring youngsters with the dream of one day becoming a professional.

Phone Simon on 0428 250 494 or email swprotourtennis@hotmail.com.

A wave of wellbeing thanks to program

Tigers host QAFL opener Noosa’s Rococo Oval will host a special stand-alone marquee game on the Easter long weekend to commence the 2021 Queensland AFL season.

The April 3 clash will see the newly promoted Noosa Tigers play Wilston Grange.

“It’s a great achievement for Noosa to be elevated into the QAFL after coming off the back of consecutive Division 1 Hart Sport Cup grand finals in 2019 and 2020,” Queensland State Leagues competition manager Matt Bialkowski said.

The Maroochydore Roos open their season on April 10 away to Wilston Grange.

The two Coast sides will clash at Maroochydore on April 24.

Looking for volunteers Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club’s Sailability program is kicking off for its 10th year.

Sailability is all about giving people with disability the opportunity to have the same enjoyment of sailing that others experience. It offers a fun, safe and welcoming environment where people with a disability are accepted and encouraged to participate in and enjoy the sport of sailing.

Each sailor is accompanied by a qualified instructor using a 12-foot Vagabond sailing dinghy. The sailing activity is supported by a safety boat that is on the water at all times.

An average of 20 sailors attended a 23-week program in 2019. The program was put on hold in 2020 due to COVID. Volunteers are needed to assist again this year. A Blue Card and a heart of gold is all that is required. Sailability organisations are not for profit and volunteer-based.

Phone 5440 7407 or email sailing@nyrc.com.au.

Rugby season warm-up

A

surf wellness program is helping children learn life-long skills so they can thrive and apply them in tough times.

Called Dingira Warrai, meaning “sea dance” in Kabi Kabi language, the Youturn Youth Support program involves 30 local children over seven weeks at Noosa.

Children and their families gather early at the Noosa River mouth to learn from Kabi Kabi custodian Lyndon Davis for land sessions (pictured), and Surfdancer Academy of Surf coaches for surf dance and ocean skills.

Dingira Warrai was born following an invitation to Youturn by Tewantin Dental Centre to apply for a grant to deliver a wellbeing program aimed at building resilience in children. The funding was awarded through Bupa’s Community Grants program.

Junior rugby union players on the Coast have a chance to warm up for the season ahead with a series of sevens carnivals.

Friday, March 26, will feature under-13, 15 and 17 girls, under-15 boys and under-16/17 junior colts (boys).

It will be held at Noosa from 5pm. Then on Saturday, March 27, teams from under-6s to under-14s will feature at Flinders from 8am.

Clubs will also have the opportunity to showcase young talent with Busk Mania to entertain during the event.

Carnivals were also held on March 12 at University and March 13 at Caloundra.

The season proper starts in April.

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JANUARY 2021 SUNNY COAST TIMES