Trust Newsletter Queensland Feb 2014

Our thanks to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s principal sponsors and partners.

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Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is proud to be an ambassador property for the National Trust of Queensland and whilst more wildlife conservation focused than our built heritage properties, we are true to the National Trust roots and work to protect, preserve and promote our built, cultural and environmental heritage.

Back cover: Currumbin Wildlife Hospital – S.Finnigan

Bunya Pine Tree sketch courtesy Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Original plan for Grandchester station

Page 3: Bigge’s Camp July 1865

Page 2: Alex Griffiths House – Jonathan Fisher

Front Cover: Grandchester Railway Station – Tim Nemeth

Image Acknowledgements

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The National Trust of Queensland acknowledges the Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities for their financial support.

Office Hours: 9am to 4pm Telephone: 07 3223 6666 Website: www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld Email: info@nationaltrustqld.org

Published by the National Trust of Queensland 95 William Street, Brisbane Qld 4000

Our thanks to National Trust of Queensland principal sponsors and partners.

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Queensl and

The National Trust of Queensland

President’s Message

The National Trust of Queensland is a community heritage organisation which has been promoting the care and appreciation of Queensland’s diverse heritage since 1963. It is part of a strong network of National Trusts based in every Australian state and territory and over 20 other countries.

Join the National Trust today and support our heritage….

For information on becoming a member visit www. nationaltrust.org.au/qld

Thank you to all who attended the Queensland conference and AGM in November 2013. It was great to hear how much is being done around the state and I congratulate all our volunteers, branches and properties for their efforts. In particular, I congratulate Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on achieving its best result in many years, thanks to the hard work of the staff and volunteers and the guidance of the CWS Board.

Trust News goes digital

Governance Update The revised draft constitution incorporating the suggestions made at the AGM is now available on our website.

From 2014, electronic versions of Trust News magazine and Trust Newsletter will be available on our website.

This is part of the Trust’s shift towards the better utilisation of technology to provide information for our members and supporters.

The advantages of using electronic media to distribute information include avoiding the escalating costs of printing and distribution, providing more timely information, having more flexibility in formats and lay-outs and also saving a few trees.

All Queensland National Trust members, including Green Guardian members, will still receive printed copies of the magazine and newsletter until June 2014.

From July 2014, Trust members can choose to receive printed copies of our magazines. To register, please ring on (07) 3223 6666 or email membership@nationaltrustqld.org To further improve the information we provide for our members, NTQ is also introducing monthly e-news bulletins in 2014.To sign up for our e-news, go to our website www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld

Welcome to 2014 and thank you to everyone who has contributed to NTQ’s many achievements in 2013. This year should be a very significant and busy time for NTQ as we establish the new company and work to make it as effective and efficient as possible.

The process of becoming a company is still on track to be completed by May 2014. I was very pleased to see the draft constitution supported at the 2013 AGM with only minor amendments. A huge thank-you to all who have contributed to this important document.

Becoming a company provides many opportunities for NTQ and we look forward to the exciting year ahead.

The process of becoming a company will include changing the name of the organisation.

To be more consistent with other state and territory National Trusts, it is proposed that the name of the new company will be the National Trust of Australia (Queensland).

To establish the company, a group of First Directors will be named in the application documents. NTQ Council is currently facilitating a process to decide on the First Directors by February 2014, so they can start working on the new arrangements as soon as possible.

For more information on the governance project, visit our website www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld Stephen Sheaffe, President National Trust of Queensland

Better than ever – Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Our recent major improvements have included enlarging our Koala facilities, the addition of a covered deck to our function room, and the restoration of the home of the Sanctuary’s founder Alex Griffiths. Alex’s house will be part of a new Queensland wine tasting concept celebrating the best of our local wines from Easter 2014. Astute observers will notice the giant painted Koalas in the garden of Alex Griffiths’ House. These were a successful part of a recent fundraiser for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation.

Our hospital has had its busiest year ever in 2013, jumping to over 8,000 native animal patients being brought in for treatment. This ‘Segway’s’ (yes we have these too!) to our larger Koala facilities which are now a fantastic entry and exit experience for visitors to enjoy in all weather. Our new Croc Shock features a 150 metre zip line over the saltwater crocodile and kangaroos to thrill even the most extreme adrenaline junkie.

Please visit us in 2014 to see what other improvements we are working on, including a new home for the tree kangaroos, rewired ridge aviaries and a new cover on the giant dome just behind the koalas on the eastern side, enabling us to restock with flock of colourful birds for the first time in a decade. We are introducing more birds back to the ‘Bird Sanctuary’, as so many still refer to us as! Our fantastic wildlife and entertainment teams support and perform in some of the best wildlife shows in Australia and if you haven’t seen the ‘Free Flight Bird Show’ for a while please come back and enjoy it again, then catch the ‘Australiana Show’ with sheep shearing reminding visitors and locals alike of the iconic sheep shearing rural back-bone that is Australia. There’s much more happening… but you will have to come to see us to find out!

Jonathan Fisher, CEO Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary www.cws.org.au More Australian, More Natural, More Fun – Trust Members 50% discount!

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www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld

National Trust Heritage Festival 2014 Come on a journey with the National Trust! With 1,500 fascinating events across Australia over April and May 2014, this will be a great celebration of our unique stories as a nation of travelers. The 2014 National Trust Queensland Heritage Festival includes a month-long program of events celebrating our history and cultural heritage, incorporating the national theme ‘Journeys’. Starting on 18 April, the key day of the Australian Heritage Week and the ICOMOS International Day for Monuments and Sites, to 18 May, which is ICOM International Museum Day, 2014 Heritage Festival events will include seminars, exhibition, tours, performances, open days and celebrations right across Queensland.

To find out what’s on go to www.nationaltrust.org.au/queensland/heritage-festival

150 years since the inauguration of Queensland’s railway On February 25, 1864, His Excellency, The Governor of Queensland, Sir George Bowen, and his wife Lady Bowen, arrived in Ipswich by river steamer to attend the inauguration ceremonies of the Southern and Western Railway for Queensland Railways.

Sir George and Lady Bowen were escorted by a detachment of cavalry, whilst a volunteer regiment presented arms. Lady Bowen honoured the event by turning the first sod of the Southern and Western Railway with a special spade and Sir George Bowen delivered an address to those gathered on that hot summer day: “It might be remembered in after years, that she who that day inaugurated the first monument of the engineering science of modern times in the youngest province of the new world, is herself a daughter of that illustrious land Greece, whence the light of art and science … first dawned upon the old world.“ Queensland Railway’s First Half Century, 1914.

Lady Bowen was a member of the Greek nobility, her maiden name was Diamantina Roma – both names have survived in the geography of Queensland.

Grandchester Station, originally known as Bigge’s Camp, was opened a little over a year later on 31 July 1865. It too will be celebrating its 150th in 2015.

Open to the public the first Sunday of the month 10am to 3pm www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld/grandchesterrailwaystation

Significant Tree Register The National Trusts of Australia Register of Significant Trees online Register/Database went live in August with ten of our Queensland sample records submitted for the trial. Since then, anyone who logs on to www.trusttrees.org.au can use the app. for viewing tree information or to nominate trees. Our Significant Tree Committee continues to enter the existing tree records on the new Register and has also reviewed ten new nominations of trees at Homestead Park and about 40 new nominations of Toowoomba’s wonderful trees. Most of these nominations will be on the register for you to view in the coming months. If you wish to nominate a tree and need help with its measurements,please contact us and an appointment can be made with a volunteer to assist you with accurate measurements using our new clinometer.

Val Dennis and Margaret Munro – contact us at trees@nationaltrustqld.org

www.nationaltrust.org.au/qld

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TRUST NEWSLETTER QUEENSLAND FEBRUARY 2014