The LOCAL News, Island and Surrounds

Published every four weeks.

Phone: 0447 007 966 PO Box 1019 Bongaree Qld 4507 www.islandandsurrounds.com.au www.facebook.com/islandandsurrounds

100% independently owned While great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and contents of the publication, the Island and Surrounds accepts no responsibil ity for inaccuracies. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views held by TIAS. All content is copy right and may not be reproduced without permission. The production of this FREE newspaper is only made possible by you con tinuing to support our local advertisers. In order to maintain acceptable editorial standards we reserve the right to edit content and, where necessary, the spelling, punctua tion, grammar and readability of all articles submitted for publication in The Island and Surrounds News. We are a small Community Newspaper and welcome submissions from our readers and community groups which will provide us with relevant information about our region and provide a platform on which to voice their opinion. Responsibility for the accuracy of the content of submis sions remains with the contributor.

Next Distribution dates –16th November for Bribie Island, Sandstone Point & Ningi. 17th-19th October, delivered to Beachmere, Caboolture, Toorbul, Donnybrook and surrounding areas.

Delivered to homes and local businesses in the following areas:-

Bribie Island, Sandstone Point, Ningi, Godwin Beach, Beachmere (including Peel Road & Beachmere Road) Bribie Pines, Toorbul, Don nybrook, Meldale, Central Lakes, Caboolture and Elimbah.

Copies can also be picked up from IGA and other local businesses in these districts. Circulation 24,000

PUBLISHER AND ADVERTISING SALES

Belinda Ferguson 0447 007 966. belinda@islandandsurrounds.com.au

CHIEF OF STAFF

Kym Braithwaite cos@islandandsurrounds.com.au

JOURNALISTS/WRITERS

Sheree Hoddinett, stories@islandandsurrounds.com.au Alistair Gray. alistair@thegoodnewswriter.com Amelia Strazdins.

DESIGN & ADVERTISING

Roger Small design1@islandandsurrounds.com.au

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA

Matthew Owen

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This Issue is as usual full of great local news. We discuss where the State Government is up to with the Bribie Island Bridge and in tend to keep you updated as facts come to hand.

Bribie local Rose Smith is still bowling at 90, what an achieve ment. There is a new after-hours GP service on Bribie Island.

The Bribie Island Rotary Club and its members will come together with the community on Sunday October 23 2022 to stage its third annual LIFT THE LID walk for Mental Health.

U3A celebrates 30 years on Bribie. Have you been wondering what’s happening at Brennan Park, read our article regarding the long-awaited upgrade.

We also discuss the controversial Satellite Hospital and have asked Ali King to comment. See what she has to say.

As usual we cover a wide variety of local issues while showcasing our local businesses. It is our local businesses who make this publi cation possible so please support them.

Warm regards, Belinda Ferguson

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Island with an average age of 59 years and NO HOSPITAL.

Another 11,000 people live within 10 min utes of Bribie Island on the mainland. Based on the Australian average and the age of our local residents we should expect at least a 54-bed hospital and even more if we count Sandstone Point and Ningi.

How many lives could be saved if our elderly could be driven to hospital within a few minutes instead of waiting for an hour or more to get to Caboolture Hospital by ambulance.

The State Government has presided over a vote grabbing farce at our expense in lives, wasted dollars and health.

Bribie Island needs a proper hospital and we need it NOW.

Rod Bongaree

Bueller, Bueller, Bueller ...

As I was reading the latest issue of ‘the LOCAL’ I wondered if it was just a human trait to whinge about anything and every thing. No matter what happens, there is always something wrong for some people. The latest ‘problem’ is our proposed hospi tal. Yes, it isn’t a 1000 bed monster. No, it doesn’t have doctors, nurses and surgeons on tap. But it will be here and it will serve us very well. Yet all we hear is negativity. From the cutting down of a small number of trees, to attacks on the actual site, and now issues over the fence line. We all know it wouldn’t matter where the hospital was built, these whingers, would come out of the woodwork and find something wrong. While the ‘hospital’ may not be all we want, or wanted, it is a good start. We will have something. It is time the whingers started looking at the positive, the bene fits, instead of always taking the negative road. Life is a wonderful thing. Stop blam ing others for your woes.

written several books which have received credit from his peers. Many copies of his latest book “Green Murder”, endorsed by the environmental group, Sleeping Giants, were sold on the day.

Let’s look at both sides of this story before we run over the precipice of achieving zero emission targets like a mob of lem mings.

Name Withheld Banksia Beach

Where is BIEPA?

The citizens of Bribie Island have watched the commencement of the rape of precious so called koala habitat under our very eyes with not so much as an echo of com plaint from our environmental protection association.

One welcome letter of dissent, ‘Tell em they’re dreamin’ did appear in Issue 79 but was more of a whimper than a roar. This wanton destruction is to make way for a so-called hospital which, rumour has it, is an elaborate day surgery to thwart a fair dinkum plan for a hospital, devised and planned by members of the medical fraternity to meet the needs of the people of Bribie Island and surrounding area.

The present plan was hastily devised to get a desperate government, tainted by the stench of corruption across the line at the last state election.

Where’s the outcry against this blatant destruction of virgin Bribie bushland and waste of tax payers money. BIEPA, your silence on this matter is deafening.

Carol Bellara

Response from Biepa BIEPA is here, are you?

The views expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers of the newspaper.

The great hospital debate

The Satellite Hospital currently being built on Bribie Island is not really a hos pital and will not have patient wards and beds, nor 24-hour care or service.

NIL, NONE, ZERO, NOUGHT beds for accident or heart attack victims.

We are being conned by the Queensland State Government.

The AMA average for the whole of Austra lia is 2.7 public hospital beds per thousand population.

• Warwick - 54 beds, population 15,500, average age 48 years.

• Stanthorpe - 31 beds, population 5,500, average age 44 years.

• Kilcoy - 21 beds, population 1,898.

Many other Queensland towns have their own hospital however we miss out totally. Bribie Island has 20,000 population on

As Ferris Bueller once said - “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.

M Matthews Bribie Island

Green Murder

I write to thank the Bribie Probus Club for inviting Professor Ian Plimer to speak regarding the facts on climate change on planet Earth.

Thank you for being open minded enough to encourage us to look at the long view on climate change that is over the past thousands of years.

Professor Plimer began his address by say ing, “I deal in facts not opinions”. He then laid out interesting facts about the warm ing and cooling of planet Earth over past eons, proven by science. Astonishingly he told us mankind contributes 3% of the car bon dioxide entering Earth’s atmosphere, with natural processes contributing 97%. Natural processes being emissions by above and below sea volcanoes, wetlands and tundra.

This man is an esteemed scientist who has

BIEPA is working for all Bribie Islanders to protect and value this unique corner of Queensland. This year has seen a surge in community engagement. You are appar ently unaware that BIEPA is comprised of dozens of hard-working, dedicated

More letters on page 10

Bribie Bridge Update

Community consultation and building the business case

and input are taken into consideration. No matter what your view or opinion is, whether positive or negative, Bribie residents must use this opportunity to have their voices heard. The process will involve the completion of a structured questionnaire with people being notified by mail asking for participation when consultation opens.

We hope that all parts of the community get involved and provide comments. For example, what would a future bridge need to be to allow continued waterway use by recreational anglers and boaties, as they form a significant part of our community and their views are very much of interest. With one of the highest ageing communities, active transport is extremely important therefore the needs of our ageing residents are paramount to enable them to continue to use and enjoy a future bridge.

Considerations such as, is there enough pedestrian space with step-free access, can two mobility scooters pass safely?

Should we include bird perches to retain Bribie’s iconic pelicans on the bridge with the capacity for motorists and their passengers to view our beautiful passage whilst travelling on the bridge. Recognis ing that our bridge has special meaning for our community which other bridges don’t have and respect for our Aboriginal heritage around the bridge and how we may do that.

Ms King said the goal was to create a functional bridge that met the needs of the community. All thoughts and views are very much encouraged.

Story and pictures by Alistair Gray

Everyone keeps talking about the bridge. What’s happening? When are we going to get it?

When I heard community consultation was about to start, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to go directly to the source, Member for Pumicestone Ali King to find out what is happening. There seems to be many misunderstandings in the community and my goal is to relay from Ms King where we are with this critical project. Like building a house, building a bridge is not a five-minute process with many steps required. As you will learn creating a sound business case and effective consultation with our community is the next critical part of the process.

“Back in 2014, the Government com missioned a report to determine the appropriate location for the bridge and to enable it to purchase land on either side,” Ms King said. “I hear a lot of people say a bridge has been promised over and over, yet as far as I can tell, nobody has ever promised to build a new bridge as an election commitment, whether they are elected or not. The last commitment made was in 2020 when I committed $4 million for the business case. It is happening with geo-technical, heritage surveys and engineering work, with community consultation at the heart of that to look at options. I want to be very clear with people that this is not another study but a necessary step for a new bridge to be built. I also want to be clear with your readers that at this point I do not have a commitment from the government to build a new bridge. That is something I’ll be working on into the future.”

Based on monitoring mid-week traffic flows, the government’s standing assess ment of when the bridge will reach its full capacity is 2031/2032. However, Ms King said the bridge was already hitting

it’s peak capacity over the weekends, major events and public holidays. She will ensure the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) take this into account when preparing the business case and looking at the various options for a future new bridge. We can be clear that the site for a new bridge will be in the vicinity of the existing bridge probably running parallel to it, in line with the 2014 report.

Community consultation run by the TMR will start later in the year, probably in November. They will need to understand the specific needs of our community for a future bridge, including a requirement for a wide active corridor allowing mobility scooters to pass and to ensure the safety of pedestrians from Sandstone Point Hotel which can be achieved by moving pedestrian access to the other side of the bridge. There are different options for the bridge to be considered and floated to the community for their input. For example, do we build a second two-lane bridge and use one side off and one side on and replace the existing bridge later.

Do we build a second two-lane bridge and substantially upgrade the existing one.

Do we build a new four-lane bridge with active transport incorporated. What is the future of the existing bridge. So many considerations. Ms King would prefer to retain the existing bridge and use it as a community asset.

With the eventual outcomes affecting generations and generations of local residents in the years to come it is evident why community consultation is so import ant. Ms King wants as many community members as possible to be involved and have their say and will promote the consultation actively through all channels available to her.

In this process, TMR wants to capture everyone’s voice not just those active in the community but those who usually don’t speak up to ensure everybody’s ideas

Ms King said there was heaps of interest in the bridge and everywhere she goes she gets asked about it. However, she wanted to stress that there are no plans to open other land on Bribie for housing development with a new bridge. From a council viewpoint she said they simply do not have the capacity. As to bridge tolls, Ms King said there would be no tolls on the bridge as it was not government policy to implement tolls when there is no alternative route. The Minister of Main Roads has also confirmed this.

I asked Ms King how realistic it was that funding would be available to build a bridge soon considering the current heavy conflicting demands on the government for funding for the likes of the Olympics, the health crisis and the new priority pumped hydro project in Mackay. Ms King responded, “First thing, I want to be clear I don’t have a commitment to build it. I don’t want to promise more than I do at this time. If the business case indicates that, I will work hard to get it. That is why the business case is so important. It is good governance and people would expect us to examine what the costs will be, what the scope of the project should be and if we didn’t do that, we wouldn’t be doing the right thing by the people of Pumicestone. I will fight as hard as I can to get the infrastructure we need. I am a very strong advocate for our area. I want our community to have what we need and I put the needs of our community forcefully to the government and to take account of our particular needs”.

And of course, the LOCAL has been work ing away for many years advocating for a new bridge and using every opportunity to put pressure on our political leaders to get this important project moving. This has included seeking signatures from our community for a petition to parliament.

To date, 1608 signatures have been obtained.

After-hours GP service now available at Banksia Beach

In good news for Island residents, Bribie Doctors at Banksia Beach now has an after-hours GP service. With 40% of Bribie Island’s population over the age of 65, the need for a dedicated after-hours GP service has been consis tently flagged by Member for Longman Terry Young and the health sector.

Bribie Doctors Group’s Dr Raahul Vaid was chosen to run the pilot Bribie Island after-hours GP service following an investment from the Australian Government and a tender process run through Brisbane North PHN. The service will initially operate Monday to Wednesday (6pm –10pm) with bulk-bill ing available for children under 16 years of age, as well as pension, health care and DVA gold card holders. The need for the service will be reviewed regularly, with the aim of extending opening hours as needed.

“I am so pleased this service has finally come to fruition,” Mr Young said. “I secured the funding from the then Health Minister Greg Hunt back in 2020 and after an extensive process involving co-design with the PHN and several GP practices, I am delighted this much needed service will now be operating on Bribie Island. My thanks go to the PHN and Dr Vaid, who I have worked closely with over the past two years, to ensure residents have health care beyond normal business hours.”

People who have acute illnesses, minor accidents or medical concerns requir ing urgent after-hours primary care, can access the service by booking an appointment on 3450 0741 or present ing to the clinic at 37 Sunderland Drive, Banksia Beach and will be triaged to ensure they receive the appropriate level of care.

Brisbane North PHN CEO Libby Dun stan said prior to selecting a provider, the PHN consulted with key local stakeholders, consumers and general practices to co-design a solution for after-hours care.

“The PHN is committed to partnering with the community, government and health sectors to ensure people in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay Region can stay well and access excel lent primary healthcare close to home when they need to,” she said.

“Bribie Doctors Group is committed to the care of residents of Bribie Island and visitors,” Dr Vaid added. “There has been a long-term need for after-hours primary care on Bribie. We feel privileged to participate in this pilot project.”

Bribie Bridge traffic on Friday afternoon

The Bribie Bridge

L-R: Dr Innocent Okoli of Bribie Island Doctors Group, Member for Longman Terry Young, Dr Raahul Vaid of Bribie Island Doctors Group, Dr Margarette Gador of Bribie Island Doctors Group and Brisbane North PHN CEO Ms Libby Dunstan

CAROLYN’S TAX UPDATE

WHEELER & ASSOC, ACCOUNTANTS AND TAX AGENTS WOODFORD AND BRIBIE

SHARES AND CAPITAL GAINS

I have spoken before on this subject but during this tax season I feel that I need to ensure clients have full information available when they sell their shares.

Shares can be owned any number of ways – purchased through a broker, via online bank trading, left to beneficiaries through a will, or transferred from a trust fund set up when they were younger.

The valuation of the cost price for these various situations is quite different. Purchasing them outright is obviously the money you paid for them, the same for online trading. Being left shares under a will distribution can be calculated either of 2 ways. If the original owner purchased them before capital gains tax came in (28.09.85), then the share value is the market value or sale price for up to 2 years from date of death. More than 2 years and the shares revert to market value at date of death. If the shares were purchased by the deceased after capital gains started, then the cost and date of purchase is deemed the same as for the original owner.

Receiving share via a trust fund is similar.

Sometimes shares are purchased through Dividend Reinvestment wherein the dividend received is used to purchase further shares. The cost of these new shares will

generally be the same as the franked amount received converted into the purchase. A copy of all the dividend reinvestment statements must be kept for assisting in the calculations together with the Buy contract for any initial purchase.

Maintaining documentation for cost price is critical in determining the capital gain. The difference between the cost price and the sale price is the capital gain and if the shares are held over 12 months, then possibly a 50% discount on the gain is available.

Regards Carolyn Wheeler, FCPA 07 54961156 appointments or website CMWheeler.com.au email: cwheeler@caliph.net.au

Bribie Island or Woodford appoint ments available.

Suppor�ng Community

Support - we are a Registered NDIS provider, offering a wide range of support services to assist individuals within our community.

based Day Program

week)

Days

Access

The Bribie Island Rotary Club and its members will come together with the community on Sunday October 23, 2022 to stage its third annual, LIFT THE LID walk for Mental Health. The walk and talk format is deliber ately not a race, but an opportunity to get locals together to raise awareness of the serious mental health issues we face in all areas of our communities, schools, homes and workplaces.

Tragically, we are still seeing eight people take their own lives every day in Australia. What is even more disturbing is that there is an attempt ed suicide every eight minutes.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 and 44 (AIHW 2022). It is estimated the impact of suicide deaths are felt by up to 135 people including family mem bers, work colleagues, friends and first responders at the time of death (Cerel

et al, 2019).

In addition to these alarming statis tics, there are countless thousands of people of all ages who suffer from a wide range of mental health illnesses. This is why mental health research is so important.

Now more than ever, we need to break down the stigma that continues to plague our society so that people are more comfortable discussing and seeking help for their mental health issues. As the sole beneficiary, 100% of funds raised from the LIFT THE LID walks will support vital Australian Rotary Health (ARH) research.

ARH is a national, not-for-profit or ganisation that funds health research and provides community education about health issues. The organisation supports work on a broad range of health problems but specialises in mental health. They are one of the largest independent funders of mental illness research over the past two decades in Australia. Funding

more than $53 million in projects, ARH funded research has played a founding role in establishing vital programs such as ‘teen Mental Health First Aid’ (tMHFA) and Cool Kids.

Rotary club of Bribie Island President Gillian Parry said, "We're thrilled to have made it to our third year during such tough times. We are part of a volunteer army and the community we live in is at the heart of what we do and why we do it. It’s never been more important for us to play a role in supporting mental health in our local communities than it is right now. Our walks are deliberately designed to fo cus on the difference we can make at a local level. Starting a conversation, bringing together adults, children, services, business and media to make a genuine connection, where we live, because ethe numbers tell us, we all know someone who is suffering.”

The Bribie Island LIFT THE LID walk starts at 8am from Brennan Park (Welsby Pde Bongaree) along the Pumicestone Passage public footpath to the Bribie Island Bridge and back to Brennan Park. The entry fee is $30 with kids 15 and under walking free. To find out more about how you can get involved or register for this event, visit: www.liftthelidwalk.com. au/bribie-island

For more information on Austra lian Rotary Health, visit: www. australianrotaryhealth.org.au

New Quality Plastic Products facility opens in Moreton Bay Region

Creating more jobs and a boost to the local economy, Quality Plastic Products (QPP) recently opened its new premises in Narang ba. As Australia’s second largest supplier of advanced plant nursery products, QPP provide advanced plant containers and spe ciality pots to more than 500 nurseries across the country and internationally.QPP focus on supplying products made from recycled plastic but can also offer products made from either biodegradable or certified reclaimed ocean plastic. They are also working with customers to further develop closing-the-loop systems. General Manager Patrick O’Driscoll said the company planned to recruit another 12 full-time staff, as well as increase its 13 injection moulding machines to 25 over the next two years. He commended the support provided by Moreton Bay Regional Council which resulted in the company’s decision to invest in Narangba.The expansion has already added more than $28 million to the local economy and created 99 jobs during the construction phase in the past year. Moreton Bay Region Mayor Peter Flannery said part of council’s long-term vision to ‘go green as we grow’ was about attracting sustainable, green businesses to create long-term benefits for the region.

“Advanced manufacturing is our largest export industry, worth more than $3.3 billion and employs almost 10,000 people,” he said. “We’re here to support these businesses on their journey and help in their growth and transition.”

Advanced manufacturing is one of the four priority industries in the Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) 2020-2041, which will help build a $40 billion economy and generate 100,000 jobs by 2041.

Quality Plastic Products (QPP) is a 100% Aus tralian owned company that has developed advanced manufacturing technology over the last 25 years in the use of recycled plastic in thinned walled injection moulding. Investors seeking further information should visit: www.investmoretonbay. com.au

Welcome back Dr Renee Brennan

Bongaree Dental is very excited to welcome back to the practice Dr Renee Brennan.

She is much loved and has been missed by her patients and team members alike

Dr Brennan has been working over the past few years in Brisbane and has now returned home to Bongaree dental to continue high standards of care for our patients.

If you would like to make an appointment with the lovely Dr Brennan, please call our friendly reception team on 34101610

Bribie Island Rotarians will host the third annual local walk event to help LIFT THE LID on mental illness.

The generational divide

By Sheree Hoddinett

Apparently, I was born in the olden days. For those playing at home, I don’t exactly class 1984 as the olden days. But according to my seven and nine-year-old daughters, Mummy grew up in the olden days, my parents in the olden olden days and my grandparents, you guessed it, the olden olden olden days. I was even fortunate to spend a few years with my great grand parents, so I’d hate to think what my girls might say about the time they grew up in!

It just goes to show, the kind of world we now live in. Kids, or at least mine anyway, are a little lost on the concept of the ‘olden days’. Maybe to them the time I grew up in, right from the 80s until they were born (2013 and 2015) seems so long ago, it’s another time! I’m sure quite a few of the region’s older residents find this more than amusing given their time on this Earth even doubles my lifespan thus far.

The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II certainly made me think a lot about major world events and the short or long-lasting impacts they can leave on generations.

Even though Her Majesty was certainly not a young lady anymore, knowing she was gone affected me more than I

thought. Not that it’s the first time I’ve felt this way. There’s no denying we live in a world today that varies greatly to that of a world I remember from 30 years ago when I was very much a carefree kid. Some of it good, some of it bad.

There are so many things I can recall so clearly, so many years after they have happened.

• Where I was when I learned of the death of Princess Diana. I was only 13 years old but knew it was a sad day.

• The September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre – I was in my final year of high school and shocked to watch footage of planes directly hitting the buildings. I can still picture it clearly all these years later.

• The bombing attack in Bali – Knowing that so many Australians were caught up in a horrific event that claimed so many lives was unbelievable.

• The Boxing Day Tsunami – watching the footage of the waves that kept rolling in was crazy and scary to see.

• Sydney hosting the Olympic Games –although not directly involved, it was amazing to see the Olympics taking

place in Australia, my home country.

• When Osama Bin Laden was captured and killed – this was a momentous day for many around the world, but it certainly wasn’t the end to the horrors of war.

• The new millennium ticking over and nothing catastrophic actually happening – who can forget the clock ticking over from 1999 to 2000 and bam, nothing actually changed, life went on as normal.

• The ending of one of my favourite television shows – Friends. So it’s not the end of the world, but it’s a show that is loved by many around the world and sadly came to an end after 10 seasons. It’s still one of the most watched shows on television today.

• When the internet erupted (and then Google too!) – how did we survive before the internet?! AND

• When I got my first mobile phone - a Nokia 3310. The best thing about it was playing the game Snake on the way home from university on the train. Now we can play all kinds of games on a mini computer in our

hands.

A lot has changed on so many fronts and these are just a few things I came up with off the top of my head.

Now if I sat down and asked my girls, especially my eldest, about some of the things they have seen happen and what they might mean to the world, sadly I have a feeling it will relate to something that I have no idea about. Possibly Pokémon, some new kids show on Netflix, a game they have on their tablet or the latest star on TikTok. Now at least if they mention the kids show Bluey, I might have a fighting chance.

So many monumental things have hap pened in the world in such a short space of time. We know and hear even more about these events because of our access to the internet and of course, social media. Once upon a time, news slowly filtered our way. Now it’s instant. That in itself is both a blessing and a curse.

Although I have a few silver sprinkles of hair and I wear glasses occasionally, I’m hardly what you call old, let alone born in the olden days. Ask me again when I crack the 40’s barrier!

COVID

At JNR Plumbing we are committed to the safety of our community and our at-risk elderly citizens of Bribie Island and Surrounds.

Your

family dentist

Due to the risk of COVID -19 our plumbers and labourers will be fitted with masks when we enter your home, this is for your safety and the safety of the community and will minimise the risk of our team transmitting the virus from one home to another when caring for your plumbing needs. In the event of a blocked sewer or other high-risk tasks our team will be suit ed in disposable suits to again help stop the risk of spreading COVID-19. We ask that when we come to your home that you practice the government supported social distance of 1.5 meters at all time and to remain polite to our team as they are wearing protective clothing for your benefit and to keep our community safe.

From the team at JNR Plumbing - please stay safe and care for one and other.

It’s all in the bag

By Sheree Hoddinett

A bag of love and a few essential items to hopefully bring a smile to a child’s face. That is what Buddy Bags are all about. The brainchild of Kerri Raedel, Buddy Bags is borne from an idea that all children deserve love – no matter where they are or who they are. As the mum of twin boys, Kerri is definitely one busy woman, but

always wanting to make a difference she discovered a gap for kids in the commu nity.

“I looked at all the community groups and there were things for domestic violence, homelessness and low socio-economic families. There’s so many groups which is amazing, but there wasn’t anything specifically for children and I was think ing where’s the kid’s stuff?” Kerri said. “I thought maybe kids don’t need help, so I started to do a bit of research because I wanted to do something. Long story short, I contacted the Morayfield Child Safety Office and I asked if they had a need for items for children going into care

and they said yes. I gave them my details and I decided to do more research. I also rang their Strathpine office and they said they needed items too.”

With all the information she needed to move forward with her idea, Kerri took the next step and the Raedel Support Group Inc. (registered not-for-profit) was formed. To get the ball rolling, Kerri, with the help of others in the community, has already filled tubs in her garage with items for boys and girls up to the age of 16.

“So we have a garage to store things, we have items and we’re registered,” Kerri said. “Now it’s building momentum and it’s just growing and growing. I didn’t realise

how much of a need was out there and Buddy Bags has taken off so quickly in a short space of time. I put together buddy bags, a bag that’s a buddy, full of love and items, so every child feels loved and has all these items. It was basically because of an idea that I believe there is a gap in the community. I know everyone wants help, I get it, there’s so much happening in the world, but we’ve just missed this part so I wanted to see that filled. I just want to see things come together for these kids who need it.”

Buddy Bags have two categories, an Essential Bag and a Love Bag.

The Essential Buddy Bag is generally

for urgent care situations (foster care, displaced children through family break ups), DV situations, homelessness or for any single particular case that the group is alerted to where a child needs urgent items (PJ’s, toiletries, blankets, underwear, clothes, soft toys).

A Love Buddy Bag is created to uplift a child, show them love and allow the child to enjoy a collection of items for themselves to enjoy whilst experiencing hardship/undesirable conditions/trauma or illness (colouring-in activities, selected essential items, toiletries, basic games, books and other little bits and pieces).

Looking into it further, Kerri also spoke to some local schools with Breakfast Clubs (providing breakfast for kids to start the day with a full belly and ready to learn), discovering that some kids also needed items as simple as soap, toothbrushes and even fresh underwear.

“So I thought if a child is going to school hungry, what else are they missing? And I’m thinking no one has possibly thought about that,” Kerri said. “So we are putting together some hygiene packs as well.” Knowing she is just one person and can’t do this alone, Kerri is reaching out to the community and beyond and learning to accept the help from others who also want to make a difference. She has already gratefully accepted generous offers of help from Lions and Rotary groups.

“I don’t want anything for me, this is all about the kids,” she said. “Each child will have a unique experience and I hope it makes a difference, because so many of them don’t have much now.

I just hope I can show some kids that there is love out there and that someone cares.”

As the project continues to grow and develop, Kerri would also love to hear from those in the extended community who would like to help.

You can contact the Raedel Support Group Inc. via email raedelsg@gmail.com or phone 0432 197 701.

Spencer Proprietor

Technician

Kerri Raedel has started Buddy Bags to help fill a much-needed gap in the community

An example of what a Buddy Bag would look like

An example of what a child would receive with a Hygiene Buddy Bag

Continued

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

volunteers, bringing an impressive battery of professional knowledge, skills and experience to bear in a range of working groups involving wildlife care, planting, weeding, promotion and education, turtle nesting and shorebird monitoring, as well as rubbish removal, water quality moni toring, cane toad control and more. BIEPA is not politically aligned. I agree it’s a huge shame to see the clearing of trees for the new medical facility, which is why BIEPA is pushing for a Bribie Island specific vegetation management policy. We did raise the issue with both state and federal governments in considerable detail. I you articulated your concerns similarly. The decision has been made, and BIEPA does not control that.

You appear to be attempting to draw BIEPA, a valued and respected commu nity organisation into a political stoush. Perhaps you would prefer a more com bative model, but our approach is more sophisticated, committed to working with government, business and the community, focusing on things we can influence to encourage better environmental outcomes for future generations, not picking fights to suit a political agenda. BIEPA is making a practical difference on the ground.

Bribie Islanders are asking “how can we help?”. Are you?

Richard Ogden

President BIEPA

Location, Location, Hospital Location

Why spend millions stabilising a swampy area that will have poor access etc when the perfect spot, in my eyes, would be the park and ride area.

It is central to most people with easy ac cess to public transport. I have never seen

more than six cars parked there. Might be a way to utilise another ‘lemon’.

K Sherwood Sandstone Point

Back on your bike

I was extremely impressed with James Powell, the young man in the article in Is sue 81, about getting back on his bike after an accident which rendered him paralysed and without use of his legs.

Full credit to James, his skill and determi nation, and the many achievements he’s gained.

I can but imagine the challenges, both physical and mental that he went through. Two very good points, one is he’s back riding. The other is the inspiration to others in similar circumstances.

I take my hat off to you young man.

A Pawley Banksia Beach

Ageing but beautiful

Whilst driving along Headsail Drive, Banksia Beach, I slowed to walking speed so as not to frighten a feeding Kangaroo. Closer inspection revealed a male kanga roo, obviously quite aged as his protrud ing bones attest.

Inquiries with a local resident revealed that the kangaroo had made his home amidst the small trees and shrubs on their property with them providing him with a supply of fresh water. The kangaroo did not seem inclined to hop and appeared to be arthritic, hence his slow movement.

Please slow down if driving along Head sail Drive and reward yourself with the sight of this ageing but beautiful creature.

If walking your dog, please keep them well restrained so as not to cause fright.

Tom Banksia Beach

Continued

No age limit on learning

Amelia Strazdins

We never stop learning. From primary school to later in life, from academia to hands on experiences, we are all perpetu ally students.

World Students’ Day falls on October 15 providing an opportunity to consider the importance of access to education and the different forms learning and knowledge take.

Traditionally when we think of students we imagine a classroom setting filled with books, laptops and a teacher. Whilst there is no doubting the importance of traditional classes the need for remote learning alongside the ever-changing world has displayed the necessity for varied forms of education.

The pandemic put a lot into perspective perhaps most importantly the need for human interaction and fresh air. This brief pause in the world also saw an increase of people applying to courses, heading back to study and expanding their knowledge. This really emphasised that being a student does not have an age restriction. Ultimately we learnt that screens, whilst incredibly useful and necessary do not have the ability to teach everything. There is so much that we learn from each other, so much that we take from everyday discussions.

hold a little more experience.

Bribie is a community filled with people of all ages, and this in itself provides the perfect opportunity. A plethora of local non-profits and community groups provide an active forum for people to get involved and learn something new. Schools on the Island already draw upon local groups and individuals to help expand student’s knowledge. From boating lessons at the high school to learning about Indigneous history from local elders, it becomes clear that commu nity involvement in learning is incredibly important. Interactions between these groups and education institutions provides a degree of hands-on real-world learning that has unfortunately been impossible for the past couple of years. These opportunities provide learning experiences for all involved. These groups draw people from all ages and stages of life. From gardening to sports, rotary to knitting there are so many ways in which to learn something new. It is through a combination of willing teachers, dedicat ed students and enthusiastic individuals that this learning can be expanded in the way it is.

page 27

RAMBLINGS

By Richard Lancaster

Almost 70 years ago in the bad old days, some would say they were good, when political correctness was not in vogue, Hugh Hefner a psychology graduate with a partial loan of $1000 from his mother published the first edition of Playboy magazine, featuring Marilyn Monroe on the cover with her iconic grin and golden hair and as the inside centrefold with little else.

Since that first edition many female stage and screen stars have been featured on Playboy covers including Madonna, So phia Loren, Jane Fonda, Cindy Crawford, Raquel Welch and Barbra Streisand. Andy Warhol made the cover in January 1986 making him the only male to ever feature on a Playboy cover.

However the magazine was not only about naked females. Famous writers such as Ian

Fleming, John le Carre, Alberto Moravia, Roald Dahl, Jack Kerouac and others all wrote stories for Playboy. High profile celebrities and politicians of the day were interviewed with some people purchasing the magazine purely for the articles. In many ways the magazine was revolution ary. It championed women’s and LGBTQ rights and marijuana and cannabis reform long before political correctness came to the fore.

The first edition sold more than 50,000 copies. November 1972 edition was the bestselling individual issue selling in excess of seven million copies worldwide and was even published in braille. By December 2017 Playboy magazine sales plummeted to 400,000. 2017 saw the publication became bi-monthly after 63 years of consistently performing as a bestselling monthly magazine. By 2019 Playboy was published quarterly and in the disastrously Coronavirus filled 2020, it was relegated to an online publication under new management.

Hugh Hefner passed in 2017. His multi-million-dollar empire now struggles to reinvent itself as a marketer of clothing, gaming and sexual wellness. A Playboy magazine collectors’ group was formed in 2017 and now has a membership of more than 4000. Most past editions of Playboy can be purchased for under $10 with some of the early editions selling for thousands of dollars. In 2002 a copy of the first Marilyn Monroe edition sold for US$5000.

Inter-generationally there is so much knowledge to be shared, so much that can be taken from those who have a fresher perspective on the world and those who

You are never too old or young to learn. So, whether that learning takes place in a classroom or in a garden, in a workshop or by the beach it is important to remember to remain open to learning something new. Regardless of whether you join a local group or simply decide to research something that interests you, we will all remain students at heart.

Bribie Island Golf Club So Much More than Just Golf

Our Golf Course is in superb condition having

February / March this year. We have played both the Men’s and the Women’s Club Championships with some great results and great golf. More great golf is yet to come as we head into November and host some of the best amateur golfers in Australia at the 2022 Australian mid-Amateur Championships, hosted by Golf Australia. Players from all round the country will contest this 3-day event, played from Wednesday, 16th November to 18thNovember 2022.

But we are more than just golf.

reasonable prices. Our new menu has been a hit especially our monthly specials. Our Senior Lunches are proving popular with a good selection to suit all tastes (refer below) and are available from Monday to Friday.

Melbourne Cup Seafood Picnic Lunch

Another popular event with us is our Melbourne Cup Day, which is now fully booked, however, we are making available some Special Melbourne Cup Seafood Picnic Tables out on our lawn section overlooking the golf course (refer image to right).

The cost is $600 to reserve the table which seats up to 8 people. You will enjoy the following menu:

Hot Platter – 1kg Bugs, 24 Scallops (1/2 shell), 24 Kilpatrick Oysters, housemade crumbed calamari Cold Platter – 1kg Fresh prawns and 24 Natural Oysters

Fresh Fruit Platter

2 bottles of Bevi Sparkling Wine

There are only 5 tables available so call us to book (3408 1457).

Our Super Specials

Senior Lunches – Now Available every Monday to Friday – 11.30am to 2.00pm:

Special Senior Lunches: your choice of Northern Rivers Roast Pork with Roast pumpkin, potato, steamed vegetables and gravy. Beer Battered Saltwater Fish and Chips, Chicken Schnitzel and chips, Chicken Caesar salad, Seafood Catch or Bangers and Mash, with peas and gravy.

Dinners Wednesday to Friday – 5.30pm to 8.00pm: Here’s what is happening on those nights.

Double Meal Deal Wednesdays: Any two meals from our select menu for just $30. Choose from Chef’s Pizza, 300g Chicken Schnitzel, Bangers and Mash or Snapper and Chips. Full menu and specials menu also available.

Thursday Reef n Beef Special: Our popular Steak, Prawns and chips deal for just $23 is available as well as the full menu and specials menu.

Friday Night Special: Purchase any two main meals and receive a free share garlic bread. Full menu and specials menu also available.

Saturday Lunch Special: 11.30am to 2.00pm: Purchase one of our handpicked select lunches for just $17 and receive a complimentary pot of beer, glass of house wine or a soft drink.

Upcoming Events

Thursday Nights: Either Hit the Felt by playing poker, play a bit of Social Darts or just enjoy a great meal every Thursday night.

You could win one of 12 Meat Trays, plus one lucky winner may walk away with $500 cash in the Lucky 13 draw. We also run a quick 10 question trivia and conduct our members draw.

Members, Guests and Visitors are most welcome

It's Worth The Drive!

Why is it so, that some humans believe that sharks are more important than humans ?

Cranky Lizard respects all life, in whatever form it comes, but believes, with resolute purpose, that human life is sacred.

Carcharodon carcharicas …the Great White Shark has instinctive in its DNA, a program to hunt seals ; and that is what it seemed to be doing when it speared out of the surf at the Kelp Beds in Western Australia last week and ripped a beautiful, young girl’s left leg off at the thigh. She was surfing with her father, she died in the arms of her mother and in the hands of the paramedics.

Who could do anything ? Her left leg gone from the thigh – shock, blood loss took care of the rest.

That is the way it goes, say many people, including Senator Peter Whish-Wilson from Tasmania, who also expressed his sadness to the family of this young woman and who also Chairs the Australian Senate Environmental Committee into Shark Mitigation [ what-ever that bloody means ?? ]. Sharks live in the ocean……..don’t want a shark bite ? Don’t go in the ocean !!

That is the view of academics, Green Senators and other environmental activists ; but it is not a universal view. Nobody, nobody on Earth knows how many great white sharks there are in our oceans; or where they are ; or where they go to !!

Nobody.

Nobody knows whether their numbers are rising or falling.

But there are some facts we can use to ponder this. Female great white sharks reach sexual maturity at ages of about 17 years old, so we can say that this current crop of great white sharks were all born in about the last 17 years. But, these creatures were listed as protected in 1999 – so has their population exploded in 17 years ?

No. Of course not ! They were probably never threatened, as a species, in the first place, and they were always there !! But there was plenty of political mileage to be had in the great white shark protection programmes…………..greenies, academics, you name them, you know who they are !

Professional fishermen, people who deal with these lethal creatures almost every day, have always expressed a view that there were always plenty of great white sharks about, but their views were dismissed out of academic arrogance by the academics and other fish experts in Government departments – who conduct research programmes in publicly funded boats and dare Cranky Lizard say it ? “

Could they really declare that they have solved the problem ? No, of course not, because there goes the public funding and there goes their jobs.” So there it is………….. great white sharks are threatened and must be protected.

But.

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There are some pesky inconvenient facts that just won’t go away. At beaches which are protected by nets and drum lines in Queensland and New South Wales, there has been one, yes one, fatal shark attack since the nets and lines were deployed in 1936/37. That is all, just one.

And those figures exclude Sydney Harbour where there are no nets or drum lines.

Some other factors to think about….the whales are back in huge numbers, roam ing up and down our East Coast, and, of course they, the whales, attract sharks, great white sharks in large numbers simply because the whales are food !

In Queensland, whales get caught in the shark nets, but we get them out, much to the delight of the television news and life goes on…….still no shark attacks. And, in Ballina, Northern New South Wales, where shark attacks began to threaten the local, tourist economy of the region, shark nets were finally deployed at popular surfing beaches…… no shark attacks since the drum lines were deployed. !! Anyone surprised ?

The combination of more whales close to the Eastern Coastline of Australia coupled with a large increase in the numbers of humans who go in the ocean, and we sell our international tourist programmes on that basis ; golden beaches, surf, surf life savers and so on

; it is inevitable that more shark attacks will occur. Common sense tells you that. Common sense also tells you that drum lines and nets protect humans from shark attacks and have been doing so since 1936/37.

Cranky Lizard must say that as an Underwater Rescue Diver and an ex Surf Lifesaver, great, white sharks and Cranky Lizard have met in the deep blue waters of the Southern Ocean off South Australia ; and, when they are heading towards you and circling you in your diving gear……it is personal folks, it is personal. They look at you as you look back at them and there is no good will at all – it wanted to eat me and I wanted to kill it ! Both of us survived the encounter intact.

Human life is more precious than sharks ; deploy the nets and the drum lines ; make our beaches safer places for all of us and the let the academics have meetings all day with Senators of all colours, paid for by us as taxpayers ; Cranky Lizard accepts and respects that these people act out of good will and respect for our environment. There is nothing wrong with that. But should the day ever come when we place human life less sacred or less important than it is, in our community: then that is day when we, as homo sapiens head back towards the caves and our Neanderthal ancestors.

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Still young at heart

“stayed a little longer”. They married when Rose was 19 and had two daughters (one of whom was killed in a car accident as a teenager). With Ray in the police force, the couple were transferred around the country, spending time in many different towns. It was in Moulamein, near Swan Hill where they first learnt to play bowls.

“They put a bowl in your hand and said you do it this way and just go. There was no one to coach,” Rose said. “That’s where I learned and first started to bowl. They said if you don’t play bowls, you’ll be left out because there wasn’t much else to do

They eventually moved back to Queensland, settling on the beautiful sur rounds of Bribie and joining the Bongaree Bowls Club. Rose’s daughter lives nearby and she is also a very proud grandmother of three and a great-grandmother to two little ones, aged just six months and two-years-old. Although Ray passed away 13 years ago, Rose lives independently, still drives locally and enjoys spending her time with family and friends. So what is it about bowls that Rose loves?

“The friendship, meeting people and to still be able to play something at my age,”

part

keen

Bongaree Bowls

now for 30 years, but a part

longer.

still catch

Saturday too. And she has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

makes Rose stand out even more is her choice of bowls. While the other ladies have their myriad of different colours, Rose shows off her skills with her trusty set of older brown bowls. It seems they have definitely captured the attention of other bowlers and caused a little bit of a stir.

“Those brown bowls, they have been the cause of many comments,” Rose said laughing. “My little brown bowls, the oth ers can’t believe I still use them and beat them too. My husband Ray bought them about 30 years ago when we first came to Bribie. I’m definitely not getting rid of them, I like them and they get the job done. They take a bit of extra green too. I have to go into the next rink to get the bowl to draw and they just can’t believe it. It just curls in and sits on the jack, no one can believe it. They think I’ve got a magnet on my bowl. It’s a lot of fun, we have a lot of laughs.”

Rose was born in Bowen, but met her husband Ray in Wollongong when she was visiting her sister for a holiday and

Rose said. “That’s the most important thing, to have somewhere to go and not have my family worry about me. I have a wonderful friend from New Zealand, who

I met at bowls, she only lives a block away.

She picks me up and takes me to and from bowls. They call us the terrible two at Bongaree. We only worked out the other day we’ve been friends for eight or nine years.”

She’s had quite a mixed life, losing her father at a young age, she and her two sis ters were raised by their mum, with Rose describing her as a “wonderful mother” who taught her many skills including her love of cooking homemade meals. With a big smile on her face, frequent bouts of laughter and an overall happy nature, Rose comes across as a much younger person than her 90 years. She turns 91 in February and even though she was born in a leap year, she admits she doesn’t miss the opportunity to pick whichever day she wants to celebrate her birthday. So, what is her secret to living happily to a nice ‘older’ age?

“I think not smoking or drinking and not overdoing things, just live and eat your own homecooked food (only have take away occasionally) and play bowls,” she said laughing.

“Just doing the right thing, living the right way.”

You never know, Rose may still be rolling bowls down the green well into her 90s!

Rose Smith still bowling at 90 years old

Wildlife Expo Bribie Island

Story and pictures by Alistair Gray

There was a buzz of excitement as the kids, mums and dads enjoyed visiting the recent Wildlife Expo here on Bribie.

It was an excellent opportunity for Bribie locals to learn a little about what Wildlife Rescue Queensland does and to meet and chat with some of their carers.

I sat down a few days later with wellknown local warrior, Colleen Ogilvie to learn more.

Colleen, the group’s membership co-or dinator was excited at the tremendous success of the expo where 12 new members were recruited, commencing

this week.

They are continually looking for volun teers who have a passion, desire and goal to care for the animals and be actively involved in the various programs Wildlife Rescue offers. Some of the workshops offered include learning to care for birds and brush tailed possums and sessions to learn about macropods (kangaroos and wallabies), with special ist days on ‘pinkies’ and babies' care.

Every animal taken into care is trans ported to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for assessment, diagnosis and to determine the appropriate care pro cedure depending on the animal's needs.

Animals are carefully monitored and looked after to ensure they have the best

who are beyond help are euthanised. One of the hardest things the rescue team must deal with is kangaroos, often severely injured and in extreme pain hit by a motor vehicle. They have a specially trained team available in these situations as injured kangaroos can be very dangerous, particularly to members of the public unfamiliar with how to handle them.

Colleen also spoke about the problem of unleashed dogs chasing kangaroos and wallabies at Red Beach. You may think this is harmless however the animal will often suffer from myopathy (severe anxiety) and as a result, can die within three weeks because of the trauma. As it is not uncommon to find a stray kanga

roo or two in our local streets, Bribie dog owners should be aware of this fact.

Wildlife Rescue does some fantastic work. The morning after the Expo, the rescue service received a call from Aquaculture, the research facility in Woorim, requesting assistance as they had a wallaby caught in one of their empty tanks. Hayden, from Wildlife Rescue successfully caught and care fully released the wallaby into the nearby bushland. However, as he walked around, he discovered a wallaby swim ming in another tank. Thankfully he was able to save and release this one too. Discussions were held with Aquaculture staff to further prevent similar occur rences in the future. A great outcome!

How can you help?

Wildlife Rescue Queensland needs-

• People to help with the transport roster – twice daily injured animals are transported between Bribie Island and the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for initial assessment, diag nosis and development of care plans.

• Hotline Operators – to answer calls and handle enquires.

No experience is necessary with full training and support provided. These roles are very rewarding and may suit people who want to help but don't want to care directly for injured animals. Call operators can work from home and may suit someone in a wheelchair.

For more information –

Please call Moreton Bay region 24-hour hotline on 0478 901 801

Visit www.wrq.org.au

Everyone enjoyed checking out the many exhibits at the recent Wildlife Expo

Belinda loves looking after this bundle of joy

Construction starts

Ali King explains why a Satellite Hospital

Brennan Park Upgrade

Story and picture by Alistair Gray

The Moreton Bay Regional Council is undertaking a long-awaited upgrade to the children's playground by the Bongaree Jetty, to be completed by Christmas for the expected rush of visitors to the area.

Story and pictures by Alistair Gray

The groundwork for the new Satellite Hospital is well underway.

Despite the protests of many locals and concerns about the site of the new Sat ellite Hospital on swamp land, the Labor Government is pressing ahead with the construction of the new hospital medical facility. Time will only tell whether the concerns are well founded. Like any major construction site residents can expect delays around the Bribie Island State High School precinct on First Avenue for some time with the movement of large trucks and construction equipment. Where possible residents are encouraged to avoid the area.

Bribie has the oldest population in the state and despite the protests any addi tional medical services on Bribie should still be considered excellent news. When I recently met Member for Pumicestone Ali King to discuss the bridge, I had an oppor

Committee members sought and a great guest speaker

Beachmere Area Network Group (BANG) have been a major organiser of activities and events in Beachmere for several years.

Producing Beachmere Art & Music (BAM) after winning the Animating Moreton grant they have taken on the Beachmere X-mas Bazaar and community carols. Beachmere’s Covid hit sesquicentenary celebrations that grew into the Back to Beachmere Festival, senior Christmas lunches and the hugely popular Fab ulous Art Beachmere (FAB) among the many events they organise each year.

BANG also manage the Beachmere Hub which has become a home for U3A Beachmere and the venue for local life celebrations, birthday parties and wed ding receptions and auspice a number of groups to grow and support the local community.

Outgoing President Karen Harris urged Beachmere residents to stand for a posi tion on the BANG committee to ensure the activities and events continue.

marketed as a Satellite Hospital.

Ms King responded, “Because it is a Satellite Hospital. It is a new model of care for delivering hospital services in the community. You can’t go to a GP and get renal dialysis. You can’t go to a GP and get acute mental health services. Those are hospital-based services and they are going to be delivered by hospital doctors and nurses in a hospital setting right in our community. And given our aging popula tion we need to work on a hub-and-spoke model. Our ‘hub’ at Caboolture Hospital is getting a huge amount of new services added including 170 new beds and this, the Satellite Hospital, is ‘the-spoke’ to deliver hospital services in our community.

Before too long we are going to get the full announcement of all the services available. We already know it is going to have renal dialysis and we already know it is going to have a longer hours

minor accident and emergency centre.

That is a whole lot of trips to Caboolture emergency department saved. We already know it is going to have mental health services because I busted a gut to get it and because we have no other mental health services other than our GP’s in our community. When people told me it was needed I worked really hard to get that commitment. But there will be a lot more services than that. I look forward to the final service announcement being made. I don’t know the full range of services myself yet.”

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to discuss this further. My concern and I suspect that of the community is the availability of emergency services to support time-critical trauma events like strokes and heart attacks and with the age demographic on the Island I would have thought 24/7 availability of emergency services at the new hospital would have been critical.

So far the weather has not hindered works with good progress being made. Along with the playground upgrade there will be improvements to the landscaping including adding large sandstone blocks, fresh plant ings, new pathways, a picnic shelter and other park furniture. There will also be an improvement to the storm water drainage.

Brennan Park hosts many weekend markets and other community events. Despite the disruption, the markets have continued successfully in the reduced space with more than 60 market stalls accommodated.

“There are templates in place for those who want to continue the events already established but there are also amazing opportunities for a different direction or programs for the community”.

Anyone interested in a role on the committee can call or email or send us a message through our website for a nomination form.

The BANG AGM will be held Tuesday November 15 from 6pm at the Hub, Main St Beachmere.

Guest speaker on the night will be local identity Karen Wallwork. “What started as an idea to make a walk along the foreshore ‘a little more interesting’ has resulted in not one but two books on the collective memory of Beachmere.” Kar en’s book ‘Beachmere – Then & Now’ has been a huge hit since its release in 2020. It’s companion, ‘Beachmere Revisited’ will be available from December.

The groundwork for the new Satellite Hospital is well underway

Major upgrades for the kid's playground at Brennan Park

Drop into Donnybrook

U3A Celebrates 30 years on Bribie

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Story and pictures by Alistair Gray

We extend our hearty congratulations to the many U3A volunteers and students who recently celebrated U3A’s 30th anniversary on Bribie with a weekend of events. I was lucky enough to attend their anniversary lunch and hear some stories.

U3A (The University of the Third Age) is an international organisation that encourages older citizens, those in their ‘third’ age of life, to share their knowl edge, skills and experience in a friendly, supportive environment. As a result, new friendships flourish with a focus on learning and expanding individual horizons.

The courses offered are extensive and varied ranging from art classes to history, economics, dance, Shakespeare, language and music. There is something for almost everyone. The range of programmes is constantly changing as new tutors appear and new subjects introduced. I found a very needsbased organisation delivering courses depending on the various demands and interests of the members.

classes in a room in the Neighbourhood Centre, running seven classes with 41 members. By 2000 they had more than 300 students and offered 30 different courses moving to new premises at ‘Monteau House’ on the South Esplanade, Bongaree. In 2003, as the demand for space grew they applied for permanent space at the recreation hall from the local Caboolture Shire Council. U3A’s request coincided with the council’s plans to upgrade the hall for use by various sporting groups in the area, taking about 11 years to complete the upgrade work. In 2009 they received a $12,000 grant from the Gambling Fund enabling U3A to offer computer classes. By 2013 the group had outgrown their purpose-built facilities, applying to the Moreton Bay Regional Council for help. With the approval of the significant expansion plans, the existing facilities were built and opened by Councillor Gary Parsons. Membership skyrocketed to 1600 members in 2016 and now in 2022 has more than 2100 members offering more than 150 different courses and programs.

During the luncheon, Councillor Brooke Savige congratulated the Bribie U3A group on achieving their 30th anniver sary and spoke about the importance

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Barry Clark, a well-known local histo rian and long-time U3A member gave a lively talk about the history of U3A and the organisation’s rapid growth in Bribie. Initially starting 49 years ago in France, there are now 3000 U3A’s around the world in 64 countries. Australia has 220, with 35 in Queensland. Thanks to the hard work of the many volunteers, Bribie now has one of the largest U3A’s in the world.

Bribie U3A was first formed in 1992 by Arnold and Bette Monteau, who held

of U3As’ strong connection to the com munity. “We do have the best U3A in the world”, Brooke said. “U3A Bribie Island is what it is today because of the many hardworking volunteers that came before us. U3A will continue to thrive because of the work of volunteers both now and into the future”.

Following Brooke’s address, past Presi dent Anne Brooks presented Ailsa Gaffy with life membership for her tireless years of volunteer work for the organisa tion.

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New life member Ailsa Gaffy, Past President Anne Brooks and Councillor Brooke Savige cutting the 30th Anniversary cake.

U3A volunteers and students who recently celebrated U3A’s 30th anniversary

By Sheree Hoddinett

With the sun shining down, Ernest Sen dall Park at Bongaree came to life with a

of activity on October 8 as a group of volunteers set to work digging holes and planting trees. In commemoration of the 70-year reign of Her Majesty Queen Eliz abeth II, the Bribie Island Environmental Protection Association (BIEPA) organised the tree planting, using the opportunity to bring people in the community together and beautify the environment at the same time.

The event was funded by the Planting Trees for The Queen’s Jubilee Program, a part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initia tive. With about 60 volunteers showing up to lend a hand, including pollies from all levels of government, the day proved to be a big success, with more than 60 plants and trees of varying sizes now proudly on display. These newly planted native trees are set to become potential future homes for insects, birds and other wildlife on Bribie.

After months in the planning, project co-ordinator Glenda Charles (along with the assistance of fellow BIEPA volunteer Mark Stanton-Cook) is proud of the way the whole event came together.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better day, it went really well,” Glenda said. “For a BIEPA event, that brought families and different age groups together in the one place and just the spirit of the day, it was amazing. We had all the pollies there which was also nice. Member for Longman Terry Young and his grandkids were planting together, councillor Brooke Savige mucked in as well. Member for Pumicestone Ali King came later, so to have all levels of politicians there to acknowledge it, really added to the success of the day.”

Although they would have liked to have had more plants, Glenda said this was just the beginning of what she hoped would be an ongoing project.

Planting day brings community together

“We’ve had a few hurdles to overcome, we haven’t been able to get as many advanced trees as we would have liked due to the impact of recent flooding on nurseries and because of people buying lots of plants for home during the peak of Covid, so the stock hasn’t been there,” Glenda said.

“We planted at least 60 trees of different sizes and also some ground covering as well. There’s a lot to do still but we’ve got the first major event done and now we’ll continue doing more bits and pieces, because as most people know when you maintain a garden, you do bits all the time. We’ll look at doing a similar planting day on the other side of the park but we also want to do some mulching work as well.”

Long-term Glenda would love to see a site become a native botanic garden and create an opportunity to have an educational area so the community has a chance to learn about what grows locally.

“We hope to educate people about the importance of native trees,” she said. “At BIEPA we try to do things in a way that protects the natural assets Bribie has, the fauna and flora that’s already here.”

There’s still more work to be done at the planting site with further plans for signage to recognise the grant funding and eventually maybe even some seating, so watch this space!

To find out more about any future planting events, visit www.biepa.online or follow BIEPA via their Facebook page.

Uncompromised Luxury and Craftsmanship

This one of a kind, standout home is the realisation of a vision born when the owners fell in love with the island lifestyle. It is inspired by adventures from around the globe.

Like it's owners this home is eclectic, engaging and somehow more than just unique...it makes you want to stay a while, to relax and enjoy life before you head off on your next big adventure. If you too are anything but ordinary, and seek a home that reflects your success and passion for life, Enrich your lifestyle by acquiring this. For more information, get in touch with:-

This impeccable property is a truly unique, iconic spectacle and one not to be missed! Created with uncompromising luxury and craftsmanship, occupying an impressive 1242 m2 parcel of absolute waterfront, north west facing land. Only four year's young, this home embodies South East Queensland glamour with a position to rival the best. The flawless 595 sqm of both indoor and outdoor living spaces that make up this landmark property are sim

ply incredible...Featuring one of Bribie's largest water- frontage of a sprawling 54 meters ( wow plenty of room for the super yacht ) This breathtaking home is engulfed by water views from every angle both inside and out !

The impressive grand entrance lures you in with a soaring void and sweeping Hampton style staircase, providing both space and light which flows throughout

the entire home. You are then drawn for ward and privileged to witness the eclectic array of style and grace as this home unfolds. Filtered light shines through the impressive display of french doors that welcome the outdoors in. The open plan living areas are delightfully wrapped with soft sheer curtains that provide privacy but do not lose those never ending canal views.

Crow

Banksia Beach

Absolute Waterfront Unit –Spinnaker Sound Marina

bedroom

on one level,

been renovated and enjoys

and direct waterfront

garaging, outdoor entertain-

Bribie Island

Sandstone Point

PRICE

convenient

& qualityinclusions

BANKSIA BEACH

Freshwater

WHY BUILD?

solid rendered brick home with

roof, featuring 4 bedrooms,

bathrooms, 2 living areas, double garage, stunning iron bark flooring, high ceilings, modern kitchen with stone bench tops and a 900mm wide gas cooker, gas hot water, ducted air,

Ningi

Sit Back & Enjoy

Freshly painted and tiled throughout.

roof and hot water system

replaced 3 years ago, 6.6kW solar system installed 2 years ago.

entertaining area with insulated roof, room for the BBQ, pool table and the whole family. Lush, established gardens, with a bore to care for them. 6 x 6m powered shed

double carport. Motivated

Banksia Beach

Coming Soon

GUIDING MY SELLERS FOR THEIR SUCCESS

“Tracie was fantastic throughout the whole process. Great communication, very accurate with her valuation and her ability to deliver on it. I was on a tight timeline as I was travelling overseas for the sale and settlement. Tracie handled everything and kept me in the loop at every stage. She saw more value in my place than I did and through her expertise gave me the con�idence to let her run with her process without concern.

– Seller

“Tracie was amazing, always working with the seller's best interest in mind. Tracie had a plan from the start and followed through with each step. Her knowledge of the market in the area was spot on. Could not have asked for better service from beginning to end of

the sales process. We would not hesitate to recommend Tracie to anyone wanting to sell their property.

Seller

“We couldn't have asked for better service, assistance or attention to detail for selling our house. She was so helpful in many ways and I would recommend Tracie to anyone who was going to sell their home,

buy.

As always, if you’re thinking of selling and would like genuine care and exceptional assistance navigating your timely sales journey, make contact with Tracie for her insightful recommendations and an obligation free chat.

ROBINSON

SOLD X TRACIE ROBINSON

SALE X TRACIE ROBINSON

Scan to see more of Tracie Robinson’s testimonials

Rates increase sees market return to pre-COVID conditions

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to raise the interest rate by another 25 basis points represents a nine-year high of 2.60% and shows the return of the market to pre-COVID conditions.

This comes from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), with the latest Australian Bureau of Statistic (ABS) lending figures indicating that in Queensland, even with the rate increases, the number of loans commitments, average loan size and the number of first home buyers remained relatively stable in August 2022.

“Following APRA’s lending buffer increase, there’s been a downward trend in the number of loans for both owner occupiers and investors of around 20%,” REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said. “First home buyer activity and overall owner occupier levels have returned to pre-COVID levels and we’re seeing these stabi lise. This indicates that the APRA’s increased lending buffer has done its job and is potentially now acting as more of a hindrance, especially given the current rental crisis where we need more investors to put rentals on the market.”

With yet another rate increase, Ms Mercorella encouraged loan holders to look for the best rate and choose

the right bank to suit their needs.

“With the volume of loans falling, banks are increasingly motivated to attract and recruit new customers, so we’d encourage people to speak to their bank about what rate they can offer and shop around for the best rate.”

With six consecutive rises now, mortgage holders who borrowed up to their maximum capacity are likely to be hurting.

“We are seeing the RBA acting in quite an aggressive fashion with one rise after another in quick succession and

that’s taken many mortgage holders by surprise, given we’ve been become accustomed to historically low inter est rates,” Ms Mercorella. “While many of those mortgage holders would have been assessed with the buffer test required by APRA, it will certainly start to bite those who have borrowed to their maximum.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Disappointing

An article in the Saturday Mail (24/09/22, Kylie Lang), suggests off leash dog parks are death traps and should be avoided. After reading the article and as the owner of a 6-month-old pup, I tend to agree.

However, contamination by parasites and owners not paying attention, chatting on their phones, oblivious to what their dogs are doing, aren’t the only dangers to be found at these facilities, as our puppy school group were unfortunately exposed to last Friday.

Our last training day after 6 weeks, meant to be a fun day of ‘jumps’ and ‘go find’ excite ment, turned into a frightening display of male aggression and abuse, fuelled by alcohol and/or drugs. This moron jumped out of a car deliberately letting his large dog run around the on leash only area where our puppy class was. As we called our dogs close, waiting for this guy to restrain his dog, we realised he had no lead and no intention to call off the dog.

As our trainer tried encouraging him to re strain the dog and move away, he started to abuse her. Coincidentally our puppy owners were all mature age women, this didn’t seem to bother the guy, he ranted and raved on, abused and threatened any of us who spoke up in support of her.

I had enough at this stage, the ex-army sergeant in me stood my ground and called him out. He then marched up to confront me, stinking of booze, very threatening and abusive. Everyone urgently called me away and we all moved over to the group of own ers from the off-leash enclosure, who were filming the whole thing. A couple of us called into the police station on the way home to report the incident.

Unfortunately nobody was there at 5:15pm.

Nola

Bongaree

be multiple parties interested. Even if you have always gone through a certain bank, it can pay dividends to get a finance health check from an independent broker as more often than not, there are a lot of different loan products available. Our L J Hooker Home Loans owner, Mark Lancaster would love to take your call to assist in a health check. Mark can be contacted on 0417 619 776 for a no obligation conversation.

This month we had a lot of wide and varied questions. Two of which I have addressed below.

First was “when looking to buy, are you better off having finance organ ised, or using a finance clause at the time of going to contract?”

Bottom line is, that the more you are prepared, the higher the chance of securing a property to a smooth settlement. Having some initial conversations with your bank or broker assists in firstly working out what you can afford to borrow, and you can even go as far as having your finance pre-approved. This will assist you in keeping within the finance clause timelines within the contract. Normally a finance clause within a contract is 3 weeks, and more often than not, has to be extended with no preliminary work on finance having been done. Having to extend your finance request can lead towards losing the property where there may

The second question “am I better off as a seller having my own building and pest inspection done prior to listing my property?”

This is a great idea for the small out lay which is usually around $500.00. It can highlight any areas that may need addressing with the property upfront before coming to market and allow time to get things addressed before hitting the market, and problems as well as re-negotiation happening if left totally up to the buyer after the property has been on the market for some time.

Don’t forget, if you have any question on anything real estate, email me at jfarrenprice@ljhooker.com.au and we shall endeavour to answer it in the forthcoming edition.

GARDEN WITH

Jill

Hi Gardeners

The word passion means any power ful or compelling emotion or feeling, and gardeners are no different. Your passion is the excitement of gardening. This energy comes from within, with gardeners being able to overcome most obstacles put in their way. We gardeners are good problem solvers.

With passion, lets’ tackle….

Passionfruit

This evergreen vine bears white and purple flowers along with delicious fruit. They thrive in a frost-free area with light well drained soil. The vines are usually trained on a trellis or a fence. Trellises should have wires at 1.2 metres and 2 metres, running north-south to get the maximum sun. Always provide wire or wire netting for the passionfruit tendrils to cling to. If you need to plant more than one (1) vine, they should be at least 2.5 metres apart.

When fertilizing use a ‘Citrus and Fruit Tree’ fertilizer at the rate of 500 grams per vine when growth starts in spring. Follow up with a light side dressing of ‘Sulphate of Ammonia’ every 3-4 weeks through summer.

As passionfruit are quite shallow rooted, it is important that your plant receives a good deep watering every 5-7 days. Mulch of course, but do not allow the mulch to touch the stem. Passionfruit vines planted in spring give a light crop in autumn and will bear well the following summer.

After they finish fruiting, cut the vines back if they are too dense, allowing for better air movement. This also encourages new laterals on which fruit is formed. After 5-7 years your passionfruit might become spindly warranting replacement.

Passionfruit are ready to harvest when they turn from green to either purple, red or yellow (depending on variety) when ripe and fruit usually falls to the ground.

Obstacles

Leaf Drop

This can be caused by old age, dry ness, excessive moisture, fungus or mites. The leaves have a life cycle and once they have reached maturity it is common for them to drop off the vine. If a vine becomes stressed due to lack of water, this clever vine will drop the older leaves thus reducing the loss of water through transpira tion. Remember to water regularly. If the soil becomes waterlogged or is poorly drained the leaves will drop. Fungus usually only occurs with

Passion Fruit

vine bug’, ‘green vegetable bug’ or ‘stink beetle’. Usually in the home garden very little fruit is affected, and it is hardly worth the cost and effort of applying a spray. If a spray is required a general insecticide is adequate.

Brown spots or oily blemishes are due to fungus attack usually associated with inclement weather. The fungal spores breed in large numbers and the leaf is usually the first indication of fungal problems. So attack this problem as you would if the vine had a leaf fungus.

Fruit fly is not considered a problem with passionfruit. When stung, fruit will have a small pimple on the skin but the fruit is generally not affected and no larvae develops.

Small fruit is usually a sign of vines old age or the vine is in poor health. The vine should be replaced every four (4) years. This keeps the vine vigorous and less prone to fungal and insect attack.

Small misshapen and very hard skin fruit is a virus which can appear on poorer quality vines. The breeding program over the years has worked towards producing superior fruiting and virus resistant varieties.

Poor fruit set or no fruit set can be the result of poor pollination mean ing the absence of bees. The only answer is to attract bees to the garden by planting flowering shrubs and flowers. You can also plant several vines in close proximity to each other and this will encourage small insects

If the leaves are grey use a cop per-based spray, doing two (2) sprays, one (1) week apart. Mites usually occur in late spring and throughout summer. There will be a red tinge to the underside of the leaf and some times the fruits’ skin will go brown like a potato. Spray with a ‘Miticide’ every 2 weeks for 6 weeks.

Flower Drop

Passionfruit will abort flowers once the vine has set its’ carrying capacity of fruit. A healthy vigorous vine will carry at least 200 fruit. Birds like parrots do take a liking to the flowers, but the vine will produce more flowers to compensate. Flowers will drop if the vine comes stressed like us humans, and like us, its’ main needs are food and water. A trace element mix maybe required.

Damaged or Marked fruit

Extreme cold can cause flower drop, but this does not usually affect us in the sub-tropics.

Damaged or Marked Fruit

Wrinkled green fruit generally drop off the vine prematurely. This is caused by an insect called the ‘passion

I hope this list of do’s and don’ts will help you grow a successful passion fruit crop.

Happy Gardening

Jill Ross from Mitre 10 Bribie Island. (Meet Jill on the floor at Mitre 10).

Jill is a horticulturist and has an Associate Diploma in Horticulture and has worked in the horticulture industry at various nurseries round the greater Brisbane area for 30 years

Canal Fishing

Bribie Island is often overlooked for its canal fishing. Canal fishing provides a wide variety of species and a great way to elude adverse weather. Whereas canal fishing should be an option for all anglers’ land-based or boat. When you think of a structure, man-made constructions like bridges, pontoons, boat hulls and rocky ledgers, they all offer shelter, food and back eddies providing all of the ingredi ents required to attract and hold fish.The

or two with a soft plastic will pay off. The larger fish will often hide under boat hulls near bridges or deeper holes.

Roger’s

Hunter with a nice bream caught at the mouth of the canal

Bream, from small fish to trophy size of 40cm plus, are one of the main species that are thriving in the canals. Jacks Jacks’ absolutely love the cover of the pontoons. Anglers cover a lot of ground and test each piece of structure to find Jacks with night-time being preferred by most fishermen to catch these fish.

Flathead caught in the canals on soft plastics

Trevally and Tailor

These fish range along the canals busting up the surface at night, taking a variety of lures and are particularly fond of poppers 50-80mm in length.

Canals are extremely common in Southeast Queensland with many of our local species thriving in them thanks to extensive structures and food available.

Anglers can fish safely in these sheltered waterways, with a really stealthy ap proach and covering plenty of ground to get the best results.

Fishing report for Bribie

The main target species has been Summer

The correct size prop fitted to your outboard or sterndrive is especially important for both fuel economy and engine performance.

The best method to check this is, with a normal load in the vessel your engine should be able to operate close to its maximum rev range at full throttle. If the engine cannot reach maximum rev range fuel consumption will be poor and the vessel will be slow to climb up on the plane with the engine running under load.

The other end of the scale, if the prop is too small or badly worn down, the engine can over rev at full throttle.

Most late model engines have a rev limiter system which acts to interrupt the engines ignition system causing it to miss fire. Running an engine which is hitting the rev limiter is very hard on the internal engine, drive train, gearbox, etc.

Your local marine specialist is the right person to ask for advice on the correct prop for your boat. Prop condition is also very important.

Worn and damaged propeller

Always repair any damaged blade surfac es and never use a prop with bent blades, as this will cause severe vibration and possible drive line damage. Check your safety gear, jackets, anchors, expiry dates on flares, epirbs etc. Don't forget, as the person in charge of the vessel you are responsible for the safety of everyone on board.

Happy and Safe Boating Roger Brown

Summer Whiting caught at Skirmish Point

Red and White.

Overall Winners: Leonie Pratt and Jennifer De Ruyter 46, R/U Lesley Heap and Paula Mckenzie 45, 2nd R/U Nadia Aylott and Syl via Kuhbauch 4 c/b, 3rd R/U Myra Dickson and Val Smith 44 NTP: Hole 4 Gill Lee, Hole 7 Maureen McGlone, Hole 14 Myra Dickson Hole 16 Open 2nd Shot Ros Gardiner, Hole 4 Div 2 Second Shot Vicki Lawrence.

8/9/22 4 Person Team Stableford

Winners: Jennifer McKay, Jenny Williams, Nadia Aylott & Angela Jordan 52, 1st R/ Ups: Marg Parkinson, Fran Boxsell, Vivi enne Learoyd & Vivi Lloyd 50 OCB, 2nd R/ Ups: Judith L’Estrange, Roslyn Crossley, Paula McKenzie & Leonie Buxton 50, 3rd R/Ups: Pauline Grooby, Val Smith, Carole Watson & Susie Smith 49

NTP’s: Hole 4 Val Smith, Hole 7 Pauline Grooby, Hole 14 Linda Urquhart, Hole 16 Linda Urquhart, Div 3 2nd shot Hole 4 Paula McKenzie

13/9/22 4BBB Stableford

Overall Winners – Fitzie Jackson & Barbara Newcomb 44 points, R/Up Dianne Hayward & Gill Lee 43 points

NTP’s – 4th Hole Barbara Newcomb, 7th Hole Debra Dunn, 14th Hole Gill Lee, 16th Hole Vicki Jones, Div 3 2nd shot 4th Hole Roslyn Crossley

15/9/22 Single Stableford

A Grade Winner: Pauline Grooby 42, 1st R/ Up: Myra Thomsen 37, 2nd R/Up: Rita de Bondt 35

B Grade Winner: Jody Benson 38, 1st R/ Up: Jennifer Stafford 36, 2nd R/Up: Angela Jordan 35

NTP’s: 4th Hole Helena Winterflood, 7th Hole Pauline Grooby, 14th Hole Leonie Pratt, 16th Hole Pauline Grooby, Div 3 2nd shot Hole 4 Roslyn Crossley ‘Hole in One’ on Hole 14 congratulations Leonie Pratt

18/9/22 4BBB Stableford – Sponsor ‘Affordable Opals and Sapphires’

Winners: Charmaine Price & Angela Claxton 46, 1st R/Ups: Jennifer Godfrey & Meryl McKenzie (McLeod GC) 45, 2nd R/ Ups: Sandra Power & Lenore Wilson 42 NTP’s: Hole 4 Rhonda Martin, Hole 7 Anna Iminger

(Maroochy River), Div 2 Gabrielle Baker (McLeod), Div 3 Mary Barbeler (Bribie Island)

20/9/22 Bribie Classic (Day Two) –Major Sponsor ‘Seasons Mango Hill’

Div 1 Gross Winner: Bev Button (Burleigh) 82, Nett Winner: Barb Chalm ers (McLeod) 74

Div 2 Gross Winner: Leanne Ptak (Headland) 94, Nett Winner: Larissa Hill (Oxley) 74

Div 3 Gross Winner: Diana Fisher (Oxley) 103, Nett Winner: Lesley Heap (Bribie Island) 77

NTP’s: 7th Hole Pro Pin Denise Coulter (Wantima), 14th Hole Diana Petrey (McLeod), 16th Hole Kimberley Crawley (Maroochy River)

Long Drives: Div 1 Kimberley Crawley (Maroochy River), Div 2 Leanne Ptak (Headland), Div 3 Chrissy Eggins (Headland)

Bribie Classic 36 Hole Results

Div 1 Gross Winner: Kimberley Crawley (Maroochy River) 165, Gross R/Up: Wendy O’Connell (Wantima) 169 ocb, Nett Winner: Kerrie Leary (Oxley) 153, Nett R/Up: Di Paez (McLeod) 154

Div 2 Gross Winner: Lee Boyle (Caloun dra) 192, Gross R/Up: Suzanne Vallely (Bribie Island) 195, Nett Winner: Sylvia White (Bribie Island) 154, Nett R/Up: Nancy Chapman (Maroochy River) 155

Div 3 Gross Winner: Robyn Wanless (Brisbane) 203, Gross R/Up: Mary Barbeler (Bribie Island) 205, Nett Winner: Lenore Wilson (Bribie Island) 152, Nett R/ Up: Leonie Buxton (Bribie Island) 156

Bribie Classic Overall Results

Senior Gross Winner: Jo Malone (Bribie Island) 159, Senior Nett Winner: Wendy O’Connell (Wantima) 153

Nett Winner: Abby Driver (Bribie Island) 152 ocb, Nett R/Up: Robyn Harper (Bribie Island) 152

Rear (left to right) Vicki Jones, Linda Urquhart, Myra Thomsen (Chris Prink absent) – The Lorikeets

Front (left to right) Winners: Jennifer De Ruyter and Leonie Pratt

29/9/22 Single Stableford and Match Play Championships Final

A Grade Winner Pauline Grooby 39, 1st R/U Rita de Bondt 38, 2nd R/U Judith Umlauft

B Grade Winner Jennifer Stafford 38, 1st R/U Sue Navie 37 c/b, 2nd R/U Leonie Pratt 37

NTP: Hole 4 Carole Watson, Hole 7 Di Benghamy, Hole 14 Linda Urquhart, Hole 16 Open 2nd Shot Myra Thomsen, Hole 4 Div 3 2nd Shot Sue Navie. Match Play Champions

19/9/22 Bribie Classic (Day One) – Major Sponsor ‘Seasons Mango Hill’

Div 1 Gross Winner: Shirley Dean (Sanctuary Cove) 83, Nett Winner: Gwen Clutterbuck (Bribie Island) 74

Div 2 Gross Winner: Judy Graham (Bribie Island) 97, Nett Winner: Deb Malson (Mc Leod) 75

Div 3 Gross Winner: Charmaine Price (Bribie Island) 100, Nett Winner: Anne Ridge (McLeod) 75

NTP’s: 4th Hole Jenny Pirini (Headland), 7th Hole Pro Pin Bev Button (Burleigh), 14th Hole Denise Coulter (Wantima), 16th Hole Heather Barlow (Oxley)

Long Drives: Div 1 Kimberley Crawley

Stableford competition, but a few brave souls went out for a social game. Semi Finals Match Play went ahead with the following results:

A Grade: Jo Malone def Vicki Jones, Di Benghamy def Linda Urquhart

B Grade: Marj Sills def Lenore Wilson, Gabby Bennett def Vivi Lloyd

C Grade: Paula Mckenzie def Angela Jordan, Sylvia Kuhbauch def Sonia Ferante (forfeit)

The Finals of the Match play will be held on Thursday 29 September.

27/9/22 4BBB Stableford Multi Tees –Sponsors The Lorikeets

A fun day was had by all played each hole of the three different tees – Yellow,

4/10/22 Single Stableford

A Grade Winner Suzanne Vallely 40, 1st R/U Val Smith 38, 2nd R/U Carole McLeod (Beerwah) 36 c/b

B Grade Winner Lois Blackwell (Woodford) 39, 1st R/U Anna de Bondt 38, 2nd R/U Sue Navie 37

C Grade Winner Lyn Cockerell 39, 1st R/U Jennifer Stafford 34, 2nd R/U Angela Jordan 33

NTP Hole 4 Debra Dunn, Hole 7 Vivienne Learoyd, Hole 14 Jo Malone, Hole 16 Open 2nd Shot Kate Wilson, Hole 14 Div 3 2nd Shot Vicki Lawrence

To: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

The Petition of Electors of the Division of Pumicestone draws the attention of the House to the Bribie Island Bridge and the bridge’s limited capability to accommodate the steep increase in the population and visitor traffic to Bribie Island. Also with the increasing number of local and state development approvals, infrastructure has not keep pace with the demands of the Pumicestone Electorate.

Your Petitioners therefore request the House to immediately commence the process of the feasibility, design, and construction of a new Bribie Island Bridge to accommodate the pedestrian and vehicular traffic to Bribie Island. The Federal Government has made $20mil available to assist with the cost of upgrading Bribie Island Road and we request this funding be used towards this project.

If you and your friends wish to sign this petition,cut it out, complete and post to The LOCAL News, Island and surrounds, PO Box 1019, Bongaree QLD 4507. Alternatively the completed form can be scanned and emailed as a pdf or image file to belinda@islan dandsurrounds.com.au

$99per issue

Update on signatures for a new Bribie Bridge

Thank you again for those people who took the time to email and mail the signatures into me. It was great to see all lines of the signatures were completed on so many.

It is clear the community does want to see a new bridge built. We are growing as a community with an increase of population in this region and now a popular destina tion for tourists.

Once again because of you we will keep on the new Bribie Bridge campaign. We currently have 1620 signatures. Issue 81 brought us 12 more signatures.

Keep those signatures coming!

Warm regards Belinda Ferguson

Dave Riley of Beachmere 1948 - 2022

Local Beachmere stal wart Dave Reilly passed away suddenly in early October.

Dave was involved in community activities for many years, from the ‘Back to Nudgee’ weekend

to more recently, ‘Back to Beachmere’ celebrations.

He started the ‘Beachmere Blog’ a source of news and information to locals long before social media became mainstream.

For many years he organised and maintained the state school gardens with his team of volunteers and over the last few years began developing his Vetiver grass business. He was always ‘ahead of the curve’ or just more aware, interested and informed of environmental, political and social issues.

Dave had an extensive network of friends and con tacts across many interests and hobbies and always approached life with such humour and passion. His family say that he is a reminder to us all to live life to the fullest.

A celebration of Dave’s life will be held in Beachmere on Thursday, 27 October at the Hub, Main St from 10am.