Feature Magazine October 2017 by The Local Times

GRIFFINCREST

CONTENTS

Get Published! Do you have an inspirational story, know a top achiever or simply want to share something interesting with the community? We now publish stories from, and distribute in, the following communities: Caboolture Morayfield Narangba Burpengary North Lakes Mango Hill Dakabin Kurwongbah Kallangur Petrie Murrumba Downs Griffin Simply email your story (maximum 500 words) and photo (minimum 300dpi) to editor@featuremagazine. com.au

Photo of the Month! Photographer

Marilyn Barfield

Image Title

Steller’s sea eagle taken from an ice breaker ship in Rausu Harbour, Hokkaido, Japan

Camera

www.burpengarycameraclub.org.au Meetings 2nd and 4th Thursday monthly - 7:15 to 9:30pm

SEPTEMBER 2017 FEATURE STORIES

THE ARTISANS’ GUILD 2017 MEMBERS EXHIBITION ON SHOW 24 SELEEN MCALISTER: A THANKFUL LIFE 30 MARC MCBRIDE: THE ILLUSTRATOR BEHIND ‘DELTORA QUEST’ 40

Contact

Advertising: Darren More 0416 430 792 ads@featuremagazine.com.au General: 07 3886 9040 editor@featuremagazine.com.au

Writing Team

Publisher: More Publishing Group Editor: Darren More Copy Editor: Rebecca Fawcett-Smith Writers: Kristine Lane, Alex Habillay, Melina Simpson, Rebecca Fawcett-Smith, Tim Vetter

Shot on Canon 5D IV with 100-400 Lens Focal Length 349mm @f8 at 1000 sec ISO 200

In Brief 06 Health 36 Education 43 Dining Guide 52 Puzzles 54 Real Estate 55 Trades & Services 60

Creative Team

Photographer: Pixels and Spice Photography Graphic Design: Graphic Design by Jo-Jo

EDITORIALS Send all story ideas and articles to editor@morepublishing.com.au ADVERTISING For advertising rates, conditions and bookings please contact our team at ads@featuremagazine.com.au or contact Darren More on mobile 0416 430 792. BUSINESS HOURS Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm DISTRIBUTION Caboolture, Morayfield, Burpengary, Narangba, Dakabin, Kurwongbah, Kallangur, Petrie, Murrumba Downs, Griffin and online via www.featuremagazine.com.au COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. The information in this magazine is for information purposes only. Feature Magazine and its editors, publishers and agents assume no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, event or organisation has been provided by such individual, event organisers or organisation without verification by us. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Feature Magazine or it’s publishers. Therefore, Feature Magazine carries no responsibility for the opinion expressed thereon. INDEMNITY By advertising or submitting with Feature Magazine you agree to indemnify all participating contributors and supporting businesses such as graphic designers and printers against any claims. ABN 47 438 219 632

October 2017

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

HIGHLIGHTS

InBrief MORETON KIDS FESTIVAL

EVENT OF THE MONTH

Experience five worlds of fun at the unique Moreton Kids Festival at Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine on October 2.

The Artisans’ Guild Annual Members Exhibition is set to impress with markets, music and more! Don’t miss this one!

more on page 47

It’s All About Soul Soul Social Enterprises celebrated their official opening last month. The new for-profit located in Kallangur works to set up starter businesses that are run by youth. Jodie Donaldson, Director & General Manager, along with co-founder Susanne Jones, shared with Local MPs, Councillors and members of the public their passion for businesses that provide work-based learning for youth, generate employment and give back to the community. “We exist to create youth-driven and purpose-driven businesses that are local, sustainable and purpose-motivated,” said Ms Donaldson. “We believe that by giving youth opportunity to step up, be accountable and be enthusiastic, we can create jobs in our local area that give back. Our vision is to ensure we have opportunities for every young person who wants a job in our area.”

To date, the team at Soul Social Enterprises has supported sixteen youth into work placement options, created three businesses, two jobs and supported twenty people in the local community. “We had over 220 people apply to do an internship with us,” said Ms Jones. “We invited forty of those to information sessions, and engaged thirty to join the Soul team. “We look for youths who are selfmotivated, entrepreneurial, quick thinkers and who have the attitude to learn from mistakes and have fun. “It is work-based learning. We are not trainers, but coaches and mentors.” Soul Recruitment, Soul Events Management and Soul Sales and Marketing are the first of many businesses this motivated and professional team aim to launch, with South Marketing already partnering with small to medium businesses to help increase their sales. Social media set up and market research are just the start of services provided by

these talented youths. “Soul Events Management are in the process of organising a Youth Conference which will be held on February 9, 2018 with an impressive list of guest speakers already secured,” announced Ms Jones. Next on the list is Soul Food and Catering, Soul Community and Soul Retail, with each business required to bring in revenue to employ young people. Yet it doesn’t stop there, with Soul Health and Well-Being and Soul Gardens and Lawns also on the agenda. Youths interested in work experience, work-based learning programs or other similar opportunities are encouraged to get in touch with Soul Social Enterprises. For more information visit their website www.soulse.com.au.

Mango Hill State School Scores New Crossing Supervisors

Family Practice Medical Centre Receives Revamp

New Personal Locator Beacons for Smaller Craft Users

Mango Hill State School is set to receive two new crossing supervisors, part of an additional 25 new supervisors being allocated to 19 schools during the 201718 financial year.

Kallangur’s Family Practice Medical Centre has provided a Bulk Billing (no gap payment) surgery for the past thirteen years, and now, the family owned practice is undergoing a facelift of its own.

If you own a jet ski, kayak or small boat, you can now get your own small emergency beacon to help keep you safe, with advances in search and rescue technology giving operators of smaller craft use of the new style personal locator beacons.

“Sending children to school can be stressful for parents, so it’s great to have that extra level of safety assurance crossing supervisors provide,” said Acting Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Steven Miles. Mr Miles said School Crossing Supervisors did a tremendous job keeping children safe and educating them about road safety.

The practice, started by David McDougall, has assisted well over 100,000 patients per year from Carseldine to Upper Caboolture. David’s sons Jonathan and Joshua joined in sharing their father’s vision once they completed their university degrees.

“Personal watercraft (PWC) and other lightweight craft users are now able to use these beacons as acceptable safety equipment on lightweight craft such as jet-skis, canoes, kayaks and sailboats under six metres,” said Chris Whiting MP.

The upgrade includes modern colours, carpets, easy-to-clean vinyl chairs, brand new children’s play area with new toys, safety rubber floors, motion sensitive state of the art lighting and colour change breathing LEDs plus more.

“Currently only regulated ships in Queensland have to carry an Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon (EPIRB) when operating outside of smooth waters more than two nautical miles from land.

“Like most schools, Mango Hill State School can get quite busy in the mornings and afternoons, so it’s great these supervisors will be on site to make sure young Queenslanders can make it across the road safely,” he said.

“We are already the largest surgery in the area and certainly one of the largest in all of Brisbane with the most comprehensive provision of Medical, pathology, radiology and Allied Health services in the area,” said Jonathan McDougall, Chief Operations Officer.

“However recent research has found that using emerging technologies such as a personal locator beacon instead of an EPIRB would not reduce the level of safety or increase potential rescue time.”

For more information on School Crossing Supervisors, including how to become a supervisor, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/ schoolcrossingsupervisors.

For more about the practice, their afterhours GP Clinic or how to download their mobile app, visit their website at www. familypracticemedicalcentres.com.au.

Member for Murrumba, Chris Whiting, said he was thrilled to see the safety of hundreds of students improved with the addition of the crossing supervisors.

InBrief

October 2017

Mr Whiting advised that an exemption from the current Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016 requirement, which does not allow for the substitution of the EPIRB with a personal locator beacon in any situation where an EPIRB is required, is currently being pursued.

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

• • • •

PROMOTION

Comiskey Candors •

The Comiskey Group has been inducted into the Hall Of Fame as the Best Entertainment Venue.

•

The Comiskey Group is an awardwinning, family-owned Queensland company, with a history spanning more than 30 years.

•

The Comiskey Group is responsible for the development of the iconic Sandstone Point Hotel, which holds the title of Australia’s Best Hotel, attracting International talent such as The Beach Boys.

•

The Comiskey Group are also responsible for coastline compliment, Beachmere Hotel.

Eatons Hill Announces New 4½ Star Accommodation The Eatons Hill Hotel has hosted the world’s royalty in entertainment, with the likes of Prince, Marilyn Manson, Ice Cube and Good Charlotte. Boasting over twelve function spaces, nine ambient bars under the one roof, the latest gaming machine technology offering Keno and TAB facilities, and to top it all off - a restaurant, filled with warm decor and divine modern cuisine. Complimenting this already monumental venue, The Comiskey Group has announced a brand new 4 1/2 star hotel to open on October 1, featuring 90 rooms including multi-level sky penthouses providing two bedrooms, a spacious living area, two bathrooms and a deep soaking bath. “The Sky Penthouses are truly one of a kind, setting the benchmark for accommodation outside Brisbane’s CBD,” said Mr Murray Rowbotham, General Manager. Bringing the greenery of Eatons Hill inside, the architecturally designed hotel features outstanding contemporary design elements, combining edgy and raw with splashes of luxury. Surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows, the hotel creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. This is brilliantly contrasted by an exquisite foyer chandelier and luxurious show-stoppers, from the bronze inspired elevators to the beautiful granite stone floors. The journey from the foyer to hotel room is carefully crafted to provide an evocative experience, taking guests from an unexpectedly clean and crisp foyer into evocative corridors that create a sense of intrigue and excitement. The hotel rooms continue the sensual landscape theme, integrating carefully crafted cabinetry, brass design features and beautifully appointed bathrooms. Designed to maximise views over the surrounding green space and parklands, the rooms and corridors open out to the view, and integrate a fresh and

light bedroom space with the moody bathroom and cabinetry behind. “All room types will include luxury quality king beds with a feather and down topper, smart TVs, Bluetooth sound systems and Appelles Black Label luxury bath amenities. Guests will appreciate the free high speed Wi-Fi, secure parking, national calls and access to a premium range of Foxtel channels in addition to exclusive access to the hotel’s heated pool, gymnasium and the choice of two helipads to arrive or depart in style,” said Mr Rowbotham. Businesses and Event Coordinators also benefit with the hotel featuring conferencing facilities including the largest function space, The Hills Room. “This space is encased by glass and flooded with light, includes a large balcony overlooking the green, a bar providing tap beers as well as state-of-the-art presentation capabilities through multiple large screens. Sitting up to 350 people, The Hills Room is suitable for all your conferencing needs. Located on level one are the boardroom style Hub Rooms which can accommodate 70 people banquet style, and can be divided into smaller spaces for a more intimate or boardroom settings.” The Hotel is not only superb in itself but is located within the recently opened Eatons Hill Retail Village which conveniently includes a Woolworths, cafe, chemist, hairdresser, nail salon, massage studio, bakery and more. With upcoming events at the Eatons Hill Hotel becoming increasingly popular, concert goers will now have the opportunity to stay overnight. What is a superb new hotel without a superb deal on accommodation? Holiday lovers who book in October for dates through to April 2018 will access the Opening Special Rate providing 10% off best available rates! Bookings are now open online via www.eatonshillhotel. com.au.

October 2017

Feature

TIME FOR A HOME LOAN HEALTH CHECK

Whether you’re looking to re-finance an existing Home Loan or looking at buying a new home, with BOQ’s competitive Home Loan rates, you could be paying less on your loan and more on making your house a home. At BOQ Narangba we believe it’s important to review your banking arrangements from time to time and would like to offer you the opportunity for a free “Health Check” on your current lending.

Pop into BOQ Narangba today.

Owner-Manager Shane Matthews 0400 369 945 | 3886 8700

@ shane.matthews@boq.com.au facebook.com/boqnarangba

Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740 (BOQ). Full terms and conditions available at any BOQ branch. Fees and charges are payable. BOQ’s standard credit assessment criteria apply.

EVENTS

Michael Jackson The Legacy Show

Comes to Kallangur WORDS: Rebecca Fawcett-Smith Photo: Contributed

On October 13, NORTHS will host the only Queensland show of the ‘Michael Jackson – The Legacy Tour’ 2017 Australian tour. Direct from the United States, the show stars William Hall who has impersonated the King of Pop since the ‘80s. “I was singing in a college band, performing Michael’s music and dancing, and a promoter heard me and asked if I’d be interested in doing a tour of Michael,” Hall explains. “I put together a show with dancers, and the next thing I knew I was touring all over the US.” Hall spent the late ‘80s touring around the world, became a fixture on the Vegas circuit in the early ‘90s, travelled to Europe in the late ‘90s, before returning to the US in 2009 eager to return to the world stage. “I was in the process of putting a show together, and I didn’t know what I was going to call it, and then when Michael died in the June, I sat down and I thought, if I’m going to do this, it has to be really what he was about. It can’t just be some King of Pop thing.” Hall got in contact with Jackson’s choreographer, LaVelle Smith, and personal engineer of almost 20 years, Michael Prince, and created the show. “I put a promo video together and did a showcase at Universal Studios in Hollywood, and the next thing you know I was getting all these calls. That’s pretty much how it started, and it’s just taking off. Every year it gets bigger and bigger.” The full-scale production, which includes a live band and dancers, pays homage to Jackson’s ‘Bad’ (1987 to 1989), ‘Dangerous’ (1992-1993) and ‘HIStory’ (1996-1997) world tours. “I like to say it’s a combination of his major tours, but I’ve sprinkled a little bit of the ‘This Is It’ tour in there as well. Even though he didn’t do that tour, I have enough information on it to know what he was going to do.” This insight into Jackson’s creative process comes care of a number of his former staff and band members who join Hall on The Legacy Tour. “A couple of people in my band worked with Michael, and having people around who really knew what he was about fuels my energy. My keyboardist, Morris Pleasure, the keyboard player for Earth, Wind & Fire, was the keyboard player for ‘This Is It’, and my musical director, Sam Simms, was Michael’s musical director.” Hall first brought the show to Australia last year, and such was the demand for a return tour, the 2017 schedule is double that of last year’s. “I‘ve changed it a bit this time around. A lot of the multimedia and choreography is different as well as some of the songs.” Asked what sets The Legacy Tour apart from other Jackson tribute shows, Hall replies, “Honestly and truthfully, my vocals. That’s the compliment that I get the most from people. And I’m not just talking about the sound, I’m talking about what he was really about as a vocalist. “I think for a lot of fans, particularly the new generation, they know Michael, but they don’t really know Michael. They don’t know what he was before he was the King of Pop. And that’s what I want to bring to people.”

October 2017

When: Friday, October 13 Doors: 7.30pm Show: 8pm Cost: $50.00 Tickets: At the door, by phoning 3285 2733 or at www.proticket.com.au

Feature

COMMUNITY

Standing the test of time WORDS AND PHOTO: Melina Simpson

“

There used to be 150 places like ours around Brisbane and now there’s 35. Theo Beenders’ legacy is well known to most Kallangur residents. He is the founder of Theo’s Garden Centre at 187 Old Gympie Road, a passionate gardener, and has propagated plants for most of his life. Theo and wife Rita are now retired, yet still grow an amazing variety of plants. Theo’s Nursery began in the early 1970’s as a tent on the side of Old Gympie Road at approximately the same location as the nursery is now. And while the first day was less than profitable, a reputation for high quality stock soon allowed the nursery to expand. Current owners, Bruce and Judi Whitfield, purchased the nursery in 1988, and over the past 29 years have maintained Theo’s reputation of quality, while improving the garden centre and employing friendly, knowledgeable staff. Theo and Bruce becames mates back in the late 1970’s when Bruce sold insurance to Theo. Theo ended up buying land beside Bruce’s house to use as a growing pad when the nursery started expanding, and he’d drive past early each morning to turn on the irrigation. “We had a code going on,” Bruce recalls. “Theo would turn the sprinklers on early and leave. If I had time, I’d turn them off, then ring his place, let it go for two rings and hang up. That meant he wouldn’t have to drive back!” The past 30 years has seen some big changes to the Nursery Industry, and Bruce is proud of the way Theo’s has kept abreast of the turmoil. “There used to be 150 places like ours around Brisbane and now there’s 35,” Bruce explains. “The industry’s been massacred through drought, floods and financial crisis.

But we still provide that old-fashioned, friendly service.” The focus at Theo’s has always been to provide quality stock and advice, and Bruce and Judi employ people who are committed to maintaining these standards. The garden centre stocks a wide variety of sought after plants, pots, mixes and fertilisers and plenty of gift ideas, including flowering orchids. They also provide a garden design service with designer David Lake proving popular with customers. “Practical experience is something all of our staff have and love to assist customers with,” Bruce says. While Bruce may come across as a laid-back larrakin, he is also a savvy businessman looking for ways to tap into current industry demands, and credits his wife, Judi, for the ongoing success of the nursery. “She’s back there, keeping the finances in order,” he says. “If you don’t keep on top of it, your business will fail.” Bruce sees the immediate future as an exciting time for plant growers due to a high demand of plant stock for home maintenance businesses. He also looks forward to more family-oriented nurseries popping up throughout the region. “We have to work together. The small nurseries need to combat the bigger chain suppliers and provide quality service and products to customers.” As a member of Kallangur Lions Club for 37 years, Bruce is very community-focused, and wants Theo’s to remain a place where people know they can receive quality stock and friendly advice they can trust. Have a look at their website www.theosnursery.com, Facebook page ‘Theo’s Garden Centre’ or visit the friendly staff at this historic nursery to our region.

October 2017

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

COMMUNITY

Moreton Bay Maestro WORDS AND PHOTO: Melina Simpson

Virtuoso – a person highly skilled in music. Synonymous with words like accomplished and magnificent. Synonymous with exceptional musicians like Bronwyn Gibbs. Petrie resident Bronwyn has played music from the age of six when her mother began teaching her piano. Her whole family was musical, and Bronwyn (who grew up in Dalby), spent most of her childhood competing, playing and undertaking musical examinations. That meant lots of practice! “By the time I was in Grade nine, I was practising for three hours every day before school,” she recalls. “Then I’d practice one-and-a-half hours after school.”

As Head of Strings at St Paul’s School at Bald Hills, Bronwyn teaches students from as young as six right up to senior students. She teaches because her passion is to develop young musicians’ love of playing, and wants to see them not only excelling, but enjoying their music. Headmaster of St Paul’s, Dr Paul Browning, is a profound fan. “Passion and Bronwyn are interchangeable words when it comes to music,” he says. “Bronwyn imbues that passion with each of her students and ensembles. As a result the music they are able to make is simply magnificent!”

Bronwyn’s greatest loves were piano and violin, but she played most stringed and brass instruments to a high level. She achieved a standard of ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) in piano, and then learnt violin under the direction of Spiros Rantos, an international violinist and conductor, before being chosen to play violin for the ABC National Training Orchestra in Sydney. Bronwyn then returned to the University of Queensland to complete her Masters in Music Pedagogy, and went on to pass the even higher LTCL (Licentiate of Trinity College London) for the violin.

Bronwyn has also conducted in community orchestras since 2000, and is currently Musical Director of the Moreton Bay Symphony Orchestra (MBSO). For her, community orchestras provide musical enjoyment and relaxation for a wide range of people.

She has performed in excess of 15 community orchestras with both violin and viola, and most currently plays leading viola (an instrument she taught herself) in the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra. One of her most memorable performances (she has many!), was going on AUSTA’s (Australian Strings Association) International Tour last year and performing in Europe with her vioin.

Bronwyn’s love of music is infectious and endless, with limitless energy devoted to teaching, playing and learning. She attends many AUSTA workshops “mostly on conducting”, where she’s learnt from some of the best international musicians and conductors. She also intends to pass ATCL for viola.

“I played a Vivaldi Concerto with Stephen Chin (well known composer and strings teacher) in Vivaldi’s Chapel in Venice,” Bronwyn says. “I was so overwhelmed with the experience.” After teaching for over 30 years, Bronwyn places high importance in maintaining a high standard of playing to help her students. “When you have kids doing Grade eight exams or ATCL, you have to be able to play all that music with them,” she explained. “If you drop your

standard of playing then they don’t rise up to the level that is required.”

Eve Brown, President of MBSO, believes Bronwyn is a valuable asset to the orchestra. “Bronwyn’s dedication and vision has spearheaded MBSO to encompass musicians of all ages to create quality music in the Moreton Bay Region.”

But when asked how she’d like to be remembered, none of her personal accomplishments seem to matter. “If I have made some sort of impression on my students’ love of music and if that has had some affect on their life, that would be great,” she says, smiling. “I want to be remembered for doing something for them and giving them beautiful memories of music.” A legacy which has already been established and will continue for those fortunate enough to experience her talent, dedication and enthusiasm for music.

October 2017

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

COMMUNITY

“They have a happy life with absolutely no awareness that they are any different from any other dog. As far as each one of them is concerned, they are experiencing life just like everyone else does.”

HEAR NO EVIL

Australian Deaf Dog Rescue WORDS: Alex Habilay PHOTO: A Pure Portait

Do you squeal whenever a cute pooch crosses your path, and do your screams of excitement bleed the ears of those around you? Then maybe a deaf dog is for you. Hear No Evil is Australia’s first and only legitimate deafspecific rescue, and they need your help in saving man’s best friend. President and Founder, Sonja Coombes, launched Hear No Evil (HNE) as an initiative to save one deaf dog at a time. The Coombes family were to care for each deaf pooch in their own home, but that soon went by the wayside when HNE went viral and all kinds of hearingimpaired tail-waggers appeared in need of help. This might be a dream come true for most people, but for Sonja Coombes it meant expansion. Now, after three years of service to the canine community, HNE’s committed team have rehomed 100 dogs and honorary canines – cats, because discrimination doesn’t belong in a pack – and aren’t slowing down. HNE currently have 17 deaf and/or visually impaired doggies in their care, and are always looking for more foster carers so they can save more deaf dogs in need. “We have a small team of foster carers who are the backbone of our rescue. Without carers, we simply can’t save the deaf dogs who need our help,” says Michelle Coffill, HNE’s Secretary and Canberra-region Coordinator. “We don’t expect any of our carers to have had previous experience with deaf dogs – they simply need to be willing to open their home to a dog in need and learn as they go.” HNE provide anyone looking to do some good with all the support needed to help them prepare their foster dog for a long, happy adopted life. HNE also have a number of qualified and deaf-experienced trainers in their ranks,

who are a swat team of knowledge and nurture providing additional assistance to carers. HNE set all their foster dogs up with their basic training and happily work with all the adopters to continue to progress a dog’s training. For HNE, deafness isn’t a death sentence, but there is no magic fix when it comes to working with a deaf dog and preparing them for adoption – especially when a dog has arrived from a less-than-ideal situation and needs to learn not only their basic obedience, but the basics of life as part of a family. “Each dog takes time, effort, patience, consistency, understanding and commitment,” Michelle confesses. “It’s an absolute labour of love, and each carer does this for as long as they need to, for a dog that isn’t theirs, so that an adopter down the track can benefit from all that hard work.” Michelle shares her home with a deaf English Staffy, a deaf and visually impaired Bull Arab cross, and a deaf and blind Great Dane cross. Each of them was abandoned because of their sensory issues, but are now living loved and happy lives thanks to Michelle and HNE. “They have a happy life with absolutely no awareness that they are any different from any other dog. As far as each one of them is concerned, they are experiencing life just like everyone else does,” Michelle says, smiling. At the end of the day, a deaf dog is just a dog. Instead of buying a puppy-farmed dog or supporting other unnecessary breeding, why not adopt a dog that really needs your care? Or if adoption isn’t for you but you have space in your home and room in your heart to foster a deaf dog in need, then make a tail wag, and contact Hear No Evil at austdeafdogrescue@outlook.com or on 0497 414 632.

October 2017

Feature

Chris Whiting and Annastacia Palaszczuk

The new school hall at Bounty Boulevard State School will be ready in December. Funding for the hall was secured by Chris Whiting MP. Chris Whiting has also secured funding for land for a new high school in North Lakes / Mango Hill.

Listening & Delivering Authorised by C. Whiting, 743 Deception Bay Rd, Rothwell 4022

FEATURE

GET YOUR CULTURE FIX!

October 2-28 The Artisans’ Guild Annual Members Exhibition FREE Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm Saturday 9am to 1pm October 6 Official Opening of Annual Members Exhibition Entry 6pm $10 per person Includes Wine and Finger Food October 14 The Burpengary East Community Complex Markets Entry 8am onwards, FREE

Members Exhibit, Markets The Artisans’ Guild Annual Members Exhibition

October 2-28 will bring the display of The Artisans’ Guild Annual Members Exhibition, with the local community invited to join in the celebration by attending the official opening on Friday, October 6, from 6pm. “There will be art and craft everywhere,” said Ms Jacqui Ferguson, President of the Artisans’ Guild. “Our Guild Patron, Mr Greg Chippendale, will officially open the event and the awards will be presented by various sponsors. Entry is ten dollars per person and includes wine and finger food.” As part of the monthly celebrations, The Burpengary East Community Complex Markets will be held on Saturday, October 14 from 8am. This free event will see locals bustling to the beat of Maurice Hardy’s guitar and exploring the creations of artists and craftsmen. Maurice has been a local for over a decade, however it took quite a journey for him to reach our paradise. Relocating from Tasmania’s North West coast where he had a reputation for singing Slim Dusty songs on the way home from school, Maurice has won several

Golden Guitars and was named Tasmanian Country Music Awards Male Vocalist. His music has been featured on radio and rocked festivals, but of all his accomplishments, Maurice’s clash with prostate cancer and his wife’s victory over Hodgkin lymphoma is by far the greatest. “It was during the long sessions of treatment and recovery that my words came to the fray. I had faced lightning twice and walked out of it with 95,000 words worth of sci-fi and music itching in my soul,” said Maurice. Now, Maurice is hitting the road again, sharing his music with the East Coast and performing at the Burpengary East Community Complex Markets. “Maurice is the real star,” said Ms Ferguson. “He is such a talented, creative individual, not to mention a successful author, singer and songwriter. He writes stories and sings songs much like a bard of old, though unlike Shakespeare, Maurice can actually sign his own work, and will be signing and selling copies of his sci-fi

October 2017

Feature

and Maurice! is Set to Impress!

fantasy book series ‘Shadows of Perfection’ at the markets.” The market, a combined effort of the Artisans’ Guild, Men’s Shed, King Street Players Theatre and the Lions Club, will include a sausage sizzle and cake stall as well as a vintage motorbike display with morning tea provided by the Artisans’ Guild for five dollars per person. Moreton Bay’s own radio station, 101.5FM, will also be broadcasting live from the event. With their third decade of operation fast approaching, the Artisans’ Guild has grown into an integral part of the community. “Thanks to Council we have this amazing space, and we look forward to seeing many first timers and regulars wandering through the gallery or rummaging through the market stalls during October,” said Ms Ferguson.

www.featuremagazine.com.au

COMMUNITY

USC Comes to Caboolture WORDS: Kristine Lane PHOTO: Contributed

In January 2018, Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Caboolture campus will officially be handed over to the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), marking the end to QUT’s 15-year stewardship and the beginning of USC’s presence in the Moreton Bay region. Transition talks began in June this year when QUT approached USC in acknowledgment of the recent purchase of land at the old Petrie Paper Mill by the Moreton Bay Regional Council and the opening of a new USC campus there in 2020. The Caboolture campus, situated on Tallon Street, is owned by the State Department of Education, with a TAFE Queensland facility being co-located there. At present, the premises has a shared occupancy agreement with QUT, which USC hope to continue when they take ownership - a changeover that is heralded by USC to be as seamless as possible. Current QUT students have the option of transferring their courses to USC, or to study cross-institutionally (picking up some USC courses but still eventually graduating with a QUT degree), or transfer to another QUT campus like Kelvin Grove or Gardens Point. USC Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Birgit Lohmann, says, “The courses to be offered by USC at the Caboolture campus will match what QUT has already been offering, such as degrees in Nursing, Business, Primary Education, Early Childhood, and some Creative Industries, to primarily ensure that any student who may want to transition into USC courses are able to do so. We will also be offering an accredited Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). And in terms of staff, we have certainly indicated that we are very willing to offer opportunities, and hope many of them will continue with us.” Whilst the current facilities have been well-maintained by QUT, USC says there will be some initial minor changes when the changeover takes place. “New USC signage, revamping the IT, ensuring the library stocks resources relevant to the new courses, and later adding in more informal student learning spaces where students can gather and work together more socially will occur.” There will also be the possibility for some students to transfer study to either the Caboolture campus or the Petrie campus when it opens. “The transport links through the train line are very good, and we are also exploring the shuttle bus we offer at the moment which runs from Caboolture to Sippy Downs, providing opportunities for students to study at all of our campuses.” Professor Lohmann says that USC endeavours to advance the educational opportunities for all in the area. “We hope that our new Caboolture campus will offer us an opportunity to engage with the community even more effectively than we are already, especially as it would suit students who find it difficult to travel long distances. We have significant numbers of students already attending the main campus at Sippy Downs who live in the Moreton Bay region, so the Caboolture campus would be more convenient for them.” With USC also acquiring the Hervey Bay Fraser Coast campus earlier this year, USC are also in the process of exploring the opportunity to host international students along with catering for the local market. “Higher education, particularly university study, is transformational – it changes people’s lives, and we want to make it available to a broader group of people and ensure they get a high quality experience.”

October 2017

Feature

COMMUNITY

Conquering Kokoda

WORDS: Kristine Lane PHOTO: Contributed

When avid bushwalker, 54-year-old Wendy Waters, completed the Kokoda Trek in Papua New Guinea in June this year, it culminated in both a better appreciation of our WW2 Aussie soldiers, and an accomplishment of a life-long dream. Co-owner of Narangba Valley Car Wash on Golden Wattle Drive, Wendy trekked the 96 kilometres along some of the region’s harshest terrain over nine days, starting from Popondetta in the north, and finishing in Port Moresby in the south. A trek that she began preparing for 12 months’ prior, Wendy believes that it was her comparable training regime that allowed her to complete the journey without injury. “I would train two days a week, on my weekends, first by climbing up and down Mount Ngungun two or three times each day. As my trip got closer, I would increase that to five times each on those two days, carrying a 10 kilo pack to help replicate my backpack for the actual trek. I also had a big step-up box down the back of the shed, so some nights after work when I couldn’t climb Mt Ngungun, I would do a couple of hundred step-ups instead.” Famous for its role during WW2 when Australian soldiers were successful in pushing back the Japanese from a possible Northern Queensland invasion from Port Moresby, the Kokoda Track is not for the fainthearted. It involves climbing up and down numerous mountains of the Owen Stanley Range, crossing rivers, enduring rain and muddy conditions, and being completely cut-off from the outside world – very similar to the conditions of 75 years ago. “I was with a group of 16 other people, and one of the most inspiring things I witnessed involved a young woman from our group who was unable to continue walking. Some of the local Papua New Guinean porters accompanying us, who were already carrying 20 kilo packs, at first took over carrying her backpack to help. But when that didn’t work, they started piggy-backing

October 2017

Feature

her up and down these mountains, finally making a stretcher out of two tree poles, some rope, and her sleeping mat. They carried her for two days on it, reminding me of how dedicated these locals were – just like back in the war when some of them assisted the Australian soldiers.” Wendy’s appreciation for the local Papua New Guinean people extended long after her trek. “When I came home, I felt a little bit sad – you just look around at society and see how much money we waste, as everything is about possessions. People in PNG have nothing, and sometimes had to walk two or three days to Port Moresby just to get flour and rice. But even though they have nothing, they want for nothing, and coming home brings that back to you - in how lucky we are here in Australia.”

www.featuremagazine.com.au

FEATURE

A THANKFUL LIFE

SELEEN MCALISTER WORDS: Rebecca Fawcett-Smith PHOTO: Pixels and Spice Photography

For the past twelve months, award-winning country music artist, Seleen McAlister, has been riding a wave of incredible highs and lows. Named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2016 Southern Stars Independent Country Music Awards, and a Female Artist of the Year finalist at this year’s Country Music Association of Australia Golden Guitar Awards, Seleen’s career had reached an all-time high. Winning awards wasn’t Seleen’s only challenge however. Diagnosed last September with necrotising fasciitis, a bacterial skin infection that kills the body’s soft tissue and can be fatal if not treated quickly, Seleen has also been fighting for her health. “September last year I had necrotising fasciitis in my thigh, and they had to remove about 90% of the muscle and tissue at the back of my leg,” Seleen explains. “Then at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January it started in my elbow, then they found a little bit in my shoulder, and now it’s in my foot and toe. Because the necrotising travels so quickly, it’s done quite a bit of damage to my foot and I’m fighting to save it. I don’t know if I will, but I’m giving it everything I’ve got.” This drive to give no less than 100% to whatever she sets her mind to is the reason Seleen walked away from the music industry fifteen years ago, despite knowing from a young age that music was her calling. A new mother at the time, Seleen wasn’t sure that she could juggle motherhood and music. “Music was always in me. My sister has always said that I sang before I talked. Motherhood on the other hand is something that I never thought would be mine. I didn’t have it in my picture. And when it happened, I didn’t think I could do both well.” Ten years later, and by then a mother of three, Seleen entered the 2011 Gympie Music Muster’s Maton Talent Search competition at the urging of a friend. She won and hasn’t looked back, collaborating with some of Australia’s top songwriters including Allan Caswell, Mike Carr and Drew McAlister (no relation) and recording and touring an EP and two studio albums. Discussing how she has managed to juggle motherhood and her career, Seleen says, “When you’re a mum and you’re a performer, you feel guilty all the time. Especially when you’re away. You’re supposed to be there. But I feel that my music, my motherhood and my marriage are locked into one. Without one, the other two don’t work.” Making Seleen’s time on the road a little bit easier of late is the company of her eldest daughter, sixteenyear-old Eliza, who has started touring with her mum

PHOTO: Singing with daughter, Eliza (Contributed)

as a backup singer. Clearly following in her mother’s footsteps, Eliza not only accepting Seleen’s award at the 2016 Southern Stars Awards, but sung on her behalf. It comes as no surprise then, that when asked what success looks like to her, Seleen points to a picture of her and Eliza singing together at this year’s Gympie Music Muster (pictured below). “I couldn’t be prouder. You want your kids to follow their dreams. I see part of my journey as getting Eliza through things maybe a little bit easier than I had it. I know a lot of people, I’ve got a lot of contacts and I’ve learned a lot along the way that I can pass onto her.” Seleen’s third album, originally scheduled for release this year, has been postponed until 2018 to allow her time to focus on her health. While many artists might worry about striking while the iron is hot, Seleen is unconcerned about the delay, having faith in the momentum achieved by her two consecutive Golden Guitar and four consecutive Southern Stars nominations. “It’s a good time to be in the forefront. I’m well known enough now that I can sneak back for a little while to get my health sorted.” This doesn’t mean that Seleen will be resting on her laurels. Having established a strong fan base in Queensland, Seleen hopes to tour Sydney and Melbourne in the New Year, and is looking forward to working on her third album. “My goal for 2018 is to spend less time in hospital and be out on the road more doing festivals. I also want to get back to Nashville with my producer, Simon Johnson, to start work on the next album. I want it to have a bit more of a Nashville sound and feel, and I want to connect with other songwriters, because as much as I like to write, I also like to collaborate.” Reflecting on her journey so far and the road ahead, Seleen says, “I don’t want to say I have it all, but I’m pretty close. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. I’ve got three beautiful, lovely kids, and a husband who’s not just with me, but by my side. “All of the personal achievements that have come my way I credit to the support of my family, my fans and the people that have been with me from that little gig in the corner of the room to the big stages. Not everybody gets to follow their dreams, but I have, and I live a grateful and thankful life.”

PHOTO: With husband, Jason. (Contributed)

www.featuremagazine.com.au

EVENTS

on the

Right Track

The local mountain biking community will again benefit from the dedication shown by Northpine Christian College (NCC) staff to the sport, when the school hosts the fourth event of the 2017 NCC MTB Racing Series this month. Riders from around the local area and beyond will gather at the school’s specially-built track for the event, competing in three different grades for a share in the prize pool and series points. “The track was built about four years ago by teachers who put in hundreds of hours to shape it by hand,” Head of Sport and race organiser Dustin Dever said. “It’s situated on bushland which is attached to the school property, and is made up of about 70% single track (width of one bike).”

WORDS: Tim Vetter PHOTO: Sandfly Images

The track is not only used for sanctioned races, but for Northpine students in the mountain biking program, which runs every week. Around 50 riders are set to take part in the cross country short-course event on October 22, with registration at 2pm and racing from 3pm. Split into three grades, A-grade riders will complete four laps of the course, B-grade three laps and C-grade two. “There’s always a great spread of ability levels in this competition, with very high level riders down to primary school,” Dever said. “As long as you can ride the track then you can race. It’s always been our goal to help people get into the sport at very little cost.” Registration, payable on the day, is $5 for students and $10 for adults. “The support of our sponsors, 99 Bikes North Lakes, means we can offer up the prizes for the riders,” Dever said. “This event is getting more and more popular every year, and we’re very keen to see the school’s involvement in mountain biking continue to grow. “A lot of locals are aware of our mountain biking program now, but we’re also working towards hosting an interschool event in 2018 for Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast schools.” For more information about the event or the school’s mountain biking program, visit the NCC MTB (SEQLD) Facebook group.

REGISTRATION

for the race is open to the public, online via www.webscorer.com/ register?raceid=111530&owner=1.

October 2017

Feature

Never miss an edition! Have your personal copy of Feature Magazine posted directly to you each month!

12 months $29.95 (Postage and Handling)

6 months $19.95

(Postage and Handling)

Click on ‘Subscribe’ at

www.featuremagazine.com.au

Fundraiser Hosted by the

MULTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF CABOOLTURE AND SURROUNDS INC.

CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY & UNITY SPECIAL GUEST HON. MARK RYAN

ADULTS $20 | CHILDREN $8 | UNDER 5 FREE 6PM | October 20, 2017 Morayfield Community Hall 298 Morayfield Rd, Morayfield QLD 4506

TICKETS AVAILABLE b| bWWW.CELEBRATIONOFNATIONS2017.EVENTBRITE.COM.AU www.featuremagazine.com.au

EVENTS

FMX EXTREME RODEO

MAIN PHOTO: Contributed INSET PHOTOS: Pixels and Spice Photography

All you line dance lovin’ folk, hold onto your cowboy hats because the Sandstone Point Hotel is having their third annual rodeo event on Saturday, October 21. The FMX Extreme rodeo will be an afternoon of boot-scootin’ fun for the whole family, with kids’ rides, live entertainment, food and drink stalls, live FMX plus even more to get ya boots shakin’. Gallop in to the iconic Sandstone Point Hotel for a 2pm start. Get involved in all the action or relax by the water looking at our million dollar view. Sandstone Point Hotel’s Director, Robert Comiskey, can’t wait for the day all the cowboys come out to play. “The rodeo is a great day out for the whole family, my kids absolutely love it. It isn’t every weekend you can experience this sort of event and this year we have even more reason for people to come along! If you’ve ever seen live FMX before, you know how thrilling it is and I can’t wait for our guests to be stunned!” With all the action relayed live on big screens so you don’t miss a second, the best seat in the house will be wherever

you can find one. The adrenaline will be high with all the gravity-defying stunts happening right before your eyes! Saddle up because you’re about to experience what a rodeo is all about. Bull and bronc rides, barrel races, whip cracking, and a cattleman’s bar to wet your whistle! Whether you’re a yokel or a city-slicker, The Sandstone Point Hotel rodeo is the most fun you can have outside of the ranch! Don’t forget to get tickets now, ya hear!

Saturday, October 21 Gates open 2pm Tickets on sale at Sandstone Point Hotel or from www.sandstonepointhotel.com.au Adults: $17 + Booking Fee Kids (4-12years) $12 + Booking Fee 3 & Under Free Family Pass 2 Adults 2 children $47 + Booking Fee

October 2017

Feature

HEALTH

Common Symptoms of Concussion WORDS: Moreton All Body Care

Concussions are one of the most misdiagnosed and subsequently mismanaged injuries that can occur in sport. In the United States, sport-related concussion is estimated to affect up to 3.8 million athletes per year, though this is thought to be a significant underestimate. A concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury, and is the most common form of traumatic brain injury. A concussion occurs when trauma exerts a greater force on the brain than that which the cerebrospinal fluid can absorb. As such, the brain makes contact with the skull. A significant head knock is not required for a concussion to occur, with even minor knocks or knocks to the body capable of causing injury. Symptoms of a concussion can be extremely varied and can include physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and emotional symptoms. They may be very subtle and may develop over the following hours or days. Common symptoms include headache, nausea, balance problems, drowsiness, fatigue, irritability, memory problems and blurred vision.

management includes complete physical and cognitive rest until symptoms resolve, with a gradual return to activities and training under the supervision of a medical professional. If, after having been diagnosed with a concussion (or you suspect that your child may have suffered a concussion), any of the following symptoms develop, it is advisable to present to the emergency department for reassessment as soon as possible. • • • • • • • •

Severe headache, especially if progressively worsening Dizziness or unsteady walking Nausea or vomiting Unexpected drowsiness or weakness Disorientation or confusion Irritability or continued crying Slurred speech or blurred/double vision Seizure

A loss of consciousness does not need to occur for a concussion. A number of international sporting bodies including the IOC and FIFA endorse a pocket ‘Concussion Recognition Tool’ to help assist in the recognition of concussion. This is available online and should form part of any manager’s or first aider’s inventory. Although at this stage the exact long-term effects of concussion are unknown, significant research is being undertaken to address this hole. As such, if you suffer a concussion or believe you have suffered a concussion this season, you should always follow up with your doctor to confirm the diagnosis and provide further advice. Current

October 2017

Signs of concussion can include: • • • • • • •

Headache Nausea Short term memory loss Fatigue Blurred vision Balance problems Irritability

If you suspect a concussion, seek medical advice immediately.

Feature

Do You Know Your Diabetes? WORDS: Mel Toraya, Fit2Live

Well I must say, I thought I knew a little about Diabetes, but I was hugely challenged when my 12-year-old son became one of a growing number of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. So what does that mean? In the simplest terms, his pancreas will eventually/gradually stop working and fail to produce insulin. He has an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented or cured, it wasn’t his fault, and has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. Type 1’s are insulin dependent and require insulin multiple times a day via injection or pump. Insulin is like air, without it they will die. The food side of diabetes is constantly an area of debate and discussion, but despite what a lot of people think, it isn’t about the sugar but CARBOHYRATES. I am continually researching food and diabetes, and every individual is exactly that, INDIVIDUAL. What works for one may not necessarily transpose for everyone, and there are so many variables that come into play such as stress, hormones, exercise, temperature and the list goes on. It really can be a daily trial and error roller coaster. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and is largely preventable by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It occurs when the body becomes resistant to the insulin being produced by the pancreas and/or the amount produced is inadequate to meet the body’s needs. Insulin is often used in the treatment of type 2, but not in all cases. Modification to lifestyle, diet, activity and smoking and drinking can help prevent and manage type 2.

There is also the case of Gestational Diabetes that involves high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. This can resolve after the baby is born, but it can also recur in later pregnancies or develop further into type 2 diabetes later in life. Once again, like type 2, it can be managed with good diet and exercise choices. The ongoing management of diabetes is not something to take lightly. It is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke. Living with diabetes places an enormous emotional, physical and financial burden on the entire family and is costing more and more year on year, not just to the families but our entire health system. However once again, as with many modern diseases and illnesses, one thing we can all do better is FOOD. Food is KING when it comes to managing disease and living well. It doesn’t have to be hard or boring, but it has to be clean and unprocessed. If you have any further questions or would like help with diabetes, contact Diabetes Queensland on 1300 136 588 or online at diabetesqld.org.au.

Mel Toraya is a mother of two, Lifestyle Advocator, Doctor of Change and a Food Educator, amongst others. Her company, Fit2live, focuses health, fitness, personal training, small group training and optimal nutrition. If you need help on your path to health, contact Mel on 0429 612 323.

www.featuremagazine.com.au

SENIORS

DEMENTIA Living Well With WORDS: Kerri-Anne Dooley, Home Instead

This is a retrospective article post National Dementia Awareness Month traditionally held in September.

All around the country, different community groups and organisations who provide services for people living with dementia hosted events to promote greater understanding and awareness of the disease. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. There are currently more than 413,000 Australians living with dementia, and it has become the number two cause of death in Australia. The lifestyle risk and protective factors for dementia offer very real opportunities for prevention programs that reduce the number of Australians developing dementia each year. Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses which cause a progressive decline in a person’s functioning. It is a broad term used to describe loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and physical functioning. There are many types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body disease. Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is more common after the age of 65. Though, sadly, the prevalence of younger onset dementia is growing. Thanks to the Federal Government, there has been an injection of more than $200 million into research and programs to find a cure and assist people living with dementia. Though there is currently no cure, more and more is being done to promote early detection of symptoms so that timely and accurate diagnosis can assist with getting the right support and advice needed to live well with dementia. If you or a loved one are worried that you may be developing the symptoms of dementia, please seek medical advice from your General Practitioner who will make the necessary referrals. As Chair of the Redcliffe Dementia Alliance, I invite anyone interested in learning more or supporting others with dementia in their local area to get involved. We meet at 8.30am on the first Monday of each month at Encircle, Lamington Drive, Redcliffe (except public holidays). This alliance was started in response to Alzheimer’s Australia’s national initiative to ‘create dementia-friendly communities’. We offer free education and host forums to raise awareness and connect people with the services they need to live well with dementia. To commemorate National Dementia Awareness Month 2017, we launched a localised Dementia Services Directory on September 4. If you’d like a free copy, please contact me at kerri-anne@ homeinstead.com.au. For more information, support or advice, call Alzheimer’s Australia on 1800 100 500. Kerri-Anne Dooley is the Care Service Manager of Home Instead Brisbane North. Kerri-Anne is passionate about supporting seniors to stay in their own homes with the right care at the right time. To book a FREE in home care consultation about Home Care Packages or private services, contact Home Instead on 3482 0800

October 2017

Feature

FEATURE

MARC MCBRIDE Words: Kristine Lane Photo: Contributed THE ILLUSTRATOR BEHIND ‘DELTORA QUEST’

Popular ‘Deltora Quest’ book series Illustrator, Marc McBride, talks to Feature Magazine about his upcoming workshop at Narangba Valley State High School’s second MMADD (Music, Media, Arts, Dance and Drama) Festival on October 14.

What will your visit entail at Narangba Valley SHS’s MMADD Festival on October 14?

How did you begin illustrating for Jennifer Rowe (Emily Rodda), the writer of ‘Deltora Quest’?

Teaching the students everything they need to know about art - the rules, and things I have learnt as an illustrator over the past 20 years. Art is a visual language, so I’ll teach them about colour, lighting, shape, shadow and line. I’ll do this whilst painting a dragon and taking the students through their own dragon drawing how to plan it, and to show them that everybody can draw. Drawing is about imagination, and I want to give them everything that helps them get their ideas onto paper.

I took my folio into Scholastic, and they were just about to do this great fantasy series which they told me about. I went home and I painted about three or four really big pictures for it. They loved the paintings, and it got my foot in the door. It was really just taking my folio into Scholastic at the right time.

What do you hope to achieve with your visit to Narangba Valley SHS? [Improving] the kids’ confidence, and explaining ways they can show off their work so the right people get to see it. During school is when you’ve got the time to use your imagination, so I want to spread the news that art is fun. This is my favourite time of year, because illustrators like me, and authors, can get out and visit schools. If it wasn’t for schools and libraries, we probably wouldn’t be able to do it - they make us feel that what we are doing is important because we inspire imagination. What do students (and people in general) gain from sitting down and drawing? The more you use your imagination, the more control you have over it. Drawing is good for every level - dexterity and spatial awareness in the younger years, and learning to get your ideas on paper as you get older. It’s a way of thinking – even film directors will storyboard their films. And drawing and designing can help with mindfulness – blotting out the world to destress. Why do you think many of us still find dragons, monsters, and castles appealing? Over 20 years ago everything was about sport, so I’d illustrate a lot of sport books. But then ‘Harry Potter’ came along and changed everything. Suddenly, wizards, mystical beasts, and anything fantasy became popular. Does your love of fantastical beasts and worlds stem from your country of birth, Ireland? I think it’s that roller coaster ride of really wanting to be scared, and there is an intriguing thing about being scared and the dark side of monsters. I’m just doing drawings that I did, and loved, as a kid, and when you keep drawing, that mindfulness keeps you young in the mind and heart. I’ve been extremely lucky to do it as a job as well. How did you become an illustrator? By accident. My careers teacher at school never mentioned drawing dragons – just architecture at university. But a year after starting, my parents moved to Australia. I visited them - and let’s face it, once you come to Australia, it’s hard to leave - so I moved out here permanently. I ended up enrolling in a design course in 1991, and after being sacked from a six week stint at an advertising company, I sent my work to magazines as I didn’t know what to do. An author saw my work in a magazine and he got me to do some book covers. He was with HarperCollins at the time, doing a book series called ‘Shiver’.

Why are visual art and the written word important in today’s society? When reading a book, you are designing all the creatures yourself – you’re creating your own set design, and creating pictures in your mind. Readers fill in the gaps themselves, and they make up the creatures as they read the book. Imagination is not just writing and drawing pictures – it’s also problem solving. What are some of your next projects? I’ve just finished creating my own graphic novel called, ‘The Boy Who Drew Dragons’, about a boy who ends up lost in his own imagination, for which I have drawn over 500 pictures. It will be published by Scholastic and comes out next year. I’m also working on a book with James Phelan about elephants and dragons, and I am illustrating another book for an Indigenous author, Gregg Dreise, about Indigenous dragons in Australia. For those out there who are inspired to become an illustrator, what advice do you give? Not to give up and to keep doing it. By practising drawing, you get better, and more people will see your work. Develop your own style, and make it unique. You may have to work for free to begin with, but just first work on people seeing it.

A Snapshot of Narangba Valley SHS MMADD’s Festival on Saturday, October 14: Free entry Time: 10am – 4pm. Where: in the Arts precinct between the PALACE and the Art Block. Workshops will be indoors and outdoors, with the music, dance and drama performances mostly on the main stage. Marc McBride will present 4 x 60 minute outdoor workshops. No bookings required. There will be a ‘Dangerous Beasts’ competition for age groups 5-8, 9-13, and 14-18 years. Narangba Valley SHS students will be both participating and running activities. Food and drink catering provided. For further information: Rebecca McGuire A/ HOD Visual Art, Marketing and Communications and Co-Coordinator of MMADD via email at rmcgu18@eq.edu.au

COMMUNITY

NATHAN WALKER WORDS AND PHOTO: Melina Simpson

ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER INTERVIEW Caboolture resident and bricklayer, Nathan Walker, has played soccer for most of his life after developing a love of sport at an early age. The same can’t be said however about his Indigenous heritage. “Growing up, there was always an emphasis that if you were an Aborigine, you were nothing but a lazy bludger,” explained Nathan. “And being a white Aboriginal, I always thought people would say I was just jumping on the bandwagon to claim benefits. So I didn’t.” Nathan belongs to the Nunukal people of Stradbroke Island, near Amity Point, where the Walker family is prominent in the rich Aboriginal history of the area. Nathan’s father who is Indigenous, also shied away from his heritage because of bullying, and the shame that he felt was passed down to his own children. Nathan’s perspective towards his Indigenous heritage has changed dramatically over the past couple of years, largely due to his involvement with the Caboolture Sports Football Club (CSFC). He first joined the club at 10 years old, before rising through the ranks to become a state junior and Australian Schoolboys shadow player, later gaining selection to trial for the Brisbane Roar’s inaugural squad. For the past six years, Nathan has been giving back to the club which gave him so much as a junior. Through CSFC he has played with the winning South East Queensland Dingoes, an Indigenous representative soccer team. The team receives a huge amount of support from the football club, and has allowed Nathan and other Indigenous players to comfortably explore their Indigenous heritage while taking part in the National Indigenous Football Championships. The tournament is a celebration of culture and brings talented Indigenous football players together. Nathan believes it has connected him to his heritage in a way he’s never felt before. “To go there and watch the dances and listen to the stories behind them gives me a huge sense of pride in being Indigenous, which was missing when I was younger,” he said.

Growing up, there was always an emphasis that if you were an Aborigine, you were nothing but a lazy bludger. And being a white Aboriginal, I always thought people would say I was just jumping on the bandwagon to claim benefits. So I didn’t.” The comfort and safety felt by Indigenous players is the emphasis of the SEQ Dingoes, where Nathan will be in a coaching role this year. He encourages all young, Indigenous sportspeople to come down to CSFC, “Especially those who may feel unsure about opening up about their Indigenous heritage,” he said. “Come down and chat to the boys. If you’re around your own people, it won’t be as scary.” Nathan sees sport as a fantastic avenue for Indigenous Australians to grow in confidence. He also believes the general community and the Australian Government is no longer turning a blind eye to the true history of our country. He would love to see a well-respected elder high up in Australian Government so Indigenous people have a stronger voice to help establish trust and equal rights. Nathan doesn’t want his three daughters to experience any of the shame that he felt about his heritage, and sees communication and learning as ways to overcome this. CSFC is located at Grants Road, Morayfield. If there are any residents with Indigenous heritage in our community who would like to tell their story, please email Melina or Katy at katy@featuremagazine.com.au.

October 2017

Feature

Kabulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Korner Page 44

What Learning Style Is Your Child? Page 46

The End Is Nigh! Page 47

www.featuremagazine.com.au

CABOOLTURE STATE SCHOOL STUDENTS PRESENT

Kabul’sKorner

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN Izabelle, Year 5

The students in Years 5 and 6 enjoyed cooking a meal in the school kitchen this fortnight. We are so lucky to be able to gather most of the ingredients from our Kitchen Garden. The menu was green salad, sausage and tomato gnocchi with garlic focaccia followed by chocolate beetroot brownie. Delicious!! With the garden’s next harvest of herbs, silverbeet, rocket, eggplant, strawberries, tomatoes, peas and beans, I wonder what amazing recipes we can discover next??

WE LOVE...SCIENCE! Ebony, Year 6

QUT Science Ambassadors visited our school, all the way from Brisbane and they were great! I definitely learned a lot about scientific principles - like how to make SHERBET! FROM SCRATCH!!! We used Jelly Crystals, Icing sugar, Bicarbonate of Soda, Citric Acid and Water! We also made cottage cheese and glue from scratch! It was SO cool. I am definitely considering asking Mr. Knowles if they can come back another time soon. I will maybe be a SCIENTIST when I’m older!!!

INTERSCHOOL ROBOTIC COMPETITION WINNERS Anita, Year 6

Digital Technologies is being implemented in our school as part of the new Australian Curriculum. Robotics plays an important part within this new Curriculum. Students from Caboolture State School and Beachmere State School challenged each other to solve the Lego Green City set of missions. Our winning team scored 75 out of a possible 100 points, successfully completing the wind turbine, yellow rubbish ring, dam block, power station chimneys, flower lady and activation of the Green City.

HISTORY HAS BEEN RESTORED www.cabooltuss.eq.edu.au

Caboolture State School’s historic bell and sign have been restored to once again grace the front of the school. Caboolture State School has been educating students for 127 years and for the majority of this time they walked through the front gates under the sign and were called to class by the ringing of the bell. The job of ringing the bell was usually exclusively performed by the boys and it was considered a great privilege to be the ‘Bell Boy’. The pole on which it had been attached for many years rotted and sadly the bell was damaged when it fell. Unfortunately, because of this damage we will no longer hear the bell ring. However, thanks to Mr Dave John from the RSL, a former student of the school, the bell now takes pride of place above our school sign. The sign, situated above our front gate, has also been a significant part of the school’s history and was recreated by the men

Special Guests: (L-R) Mrs Jeanette Robinson, Pat Robinson, Mr Dave John School Captains: (L-R) Chloe Menagh, Zoe Valler, Dustin Anderson, Kai Wallit

from the Caboolture and Districts WoodCrafters, in particular Mr Pat Robinson. Thanks also to Mr Don McCaffrey from DMac Engineering for designing and constructing the frame in which they all are housed.

Thanks to:

Former students have welcomed the return of these iconic symbols of the time they spent at Caboolture State School and now the current students will also hold fond memories of them for generations to come.

Mr Don McCaffrey from DMac Engineering for the resurrection of our school bell at the front of the school.

Mr Pat Robertson, Mrs Jeanette Robertson and the team at the Caboolture Woodcrafters for the creation of our new wooden sign at the gate to the school.

Mr Dave John from the RSL for being our special guest at the ANZAC Day assembly and for his valuable assistance in the restoration of our school bell.

RISE OF THE TERUYILLE An extract by Kiran, Year 6

The nearby thunder crackled from above. It irritatingly rang in Fuyit’s ears. Soaked, he walked down the dim alleyway to quickly reach his house. The feeling of being able to relax with no care in the world pestered him as he lowered his head to block the cold, heavy rain. The young man’s feet slammed onto the wet, glimmering surface of the concrete. The unwelcoming darkness of the fresh night sky was only interrupted by the illuminous light from the full moon. Fuyit felt as if he was being quietly watched. A prickling shiver ran down his spine. Suddenly he heard something swiftly move across the dark path behind him. Turning he saw something horrifying!

October 2017

A small creature, pure black to match its current surroundings, was crawling across the wall towards Fuyit. Its feet tapped on the brick wall, looking like something that came from a horrible nightmare. Fuyit stood shocked, unable to even twitch a finger. The image was taunting his eyes, hiding reality away, until the creature, screaming, pounced to attack the traumatised man. Fuyit just stood, ready for certain death, before a blinding light caught the creature. The dark skin of the nightmare was now burning away, like a metal sword being delivered to the flaming furnace. Fuyit tried to look around to catch a glimpse of anything that may be projecting the amazingly intense light, before everything went black…….

Feature

EDUCATION

3 Verbal (linguistic): learn through verbal instruction and writing activities. They love to read and write, and express themselves better that way. They enjoy the meanings, and play, of words.

What Learning Style Is Your Child?

WORDS: Kristine Lane

Everybody learns better if material is presented in a way that suits their learning style. If you’re a person who struggles to remember what is said to you, then you won’t learn best if you have to listen to information. It will go in one ear and out the other. But the person next to you may be a whiz at reciting dialogue back to you. Everybody learns differently, and as a parent, it’s important to know what learning style your child is to best enhance their learning. There are seven different learning styles, with the first three being the most common: 1 Visual: where content is best remembered through the use of graphs, illustrations, diagrams, colours, mind maps, reading the written word, and making notes. Visual learners prefer colour-coded information, writing things down, and can visualise situations.

4 Kinaesthetic (Practical): they learn by doing and use their bodies to assist them. They prefer to draw diagrams, role play, touch and feel, and use their hands to understand objects. They learn how a computer works by taking it apart and putting it back together. At school, they prefer practical subjects like cooking and manual arts. 5 Solitary: they prefer to be alone, with no noise and distractions, and learn through self-study. They find it hard to concentrate when learning in the presence of others, even if the others are quiet. 6 Social: they enjoy learning in a group or when others are present, and when discussions are taking place. They tend to ‘feed’ off the energy of others, and seem to learn better and be more responsive when information is being bandied around out loud. 7 Logical: these people prefer structure, logic, and a step-by-step flow of information. They understand reason and systems of concepts, can ‘see’ the overall picture and have to know the why, what, how, when, where, and who of things. Not everyone fits into just one category. Many cross over and can have two preferable learning styles, but usually one is more dominant than the other. If students know which style works best for them, come study time, half the battle has been won.

2 Auditory: prefer using sound, rhyme, music, recordings, and mnemonics to remember information. They learn through listening and speaking, and like talking things through, reading aloud, and can grasp information easily in lectures and group discussions.

October 2017

Kristine Lane is a local teacher and writer. You can follow her on Twitter (@kwersty) or email her your question via editor@ featuremagazine.com.au.

Feature

The End Is Nigh!

WORDS: Karen Carter, Kip McGrath, Burpengary

It’s October! Already? Yes I know. Where has the year gone? This month marks the start of term four, and in a few short weeks yet another academic year will be finished. The weather is warming up and students everywhere will start to look forward to their well-earned end of year break. Before we get too excited, however, it’s important to remember that there is still actually a whole quarter of the year to go, and students need to remain focused and on track right up until the end of the year. Here are some tips to motivate your child:

Be interested in what they are doing in school. Be enthusiastic about their subject work and assignments. Ask questions, have discussions, listen to and value their opinions.

Help them to be organised by working on a study timetable together. Know when assignments are due and

when exams will be set, so your child can maximise their study time. Liaise with the teacher to identify concepts and skills you can assist with at home.

Aim high! Set an achievable goal. Whether it be passing a previously failed subject or getting a higher

achievement than on the last report, or even being more confident at taking a test, helping your child focus on their goal will make them much more likely to succeed. Once they know that goal, work on a plan of attack together.

Focus on your child’s strengths. You know them best, and you know the ways in which they learn most successfully. Encourage their strengths but also show them the value of working on things they may not be so good at.

Celebrate all successes, however small. Success breeds success as they say, and this is always a powerful motivator at any age.

Lastly, remember; “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, so be careful not to overload your child. It’s important to always factor in some leisure time. Keep on track with study, and before you know it the summer holidays will be here. Your child will enjoy them all the more and have a deep sense of self-satisfaction, knowing that they worked hard all the way to the end of the year and did their absolute best. We can’t ask for more than that, can we!

Karen Carter is Co-Director at Kip McGrath Education Centre Burpengary, providing professional tuition by qualified teachers in Maths and English for Primary and Secondary students. Contact us at www.kipmcgrath.com.au/burpengary or on 3888 2332 or 0488 445 776 for a free assessment.

www.featuremagazine.com.au

PETS

Slithery & Slimy

Words: Leichelle McMahon, Pet Supersavers

Reptiles are a great small pet to start with, as they don’t need a lot of space, don’t smell, and don’t bark! There are a few different types of reptiles you can keep, but remember you will need a license. Turtles The Short-necked Macquarie or Eastern Longnecked turtles (often referred to incorrectly as ‘penny’ turtles) require a minimum four foot tank, and should ideally live in a pond once fully grown. They also require UVA and UVB lighting, and eat lots of different things including frozen food, crickets and bloodworms. Snakes Snakes are super easy to look after, but you will need to upgrade them slowly from small homes to larger tanks as they grow. Children’s, Spotted and Stimson’s pythons are smaller pythons that grow to 1.2 metres. They require heat and eat defrosted rats and mice. Lizards My favourite, lizards are the ideal pet for kids as they are interactive and have loads of personality. Not only will they sit and watch TV with you, they will also run around the home. Lizards that make great pets are the Central Netted, Dwarf Bearded Dragon, Blue-tongue and Pink-tongue Skinks and the Central Bearded Dragon (just to name a few). They eat insects, fruit and vegetables, and require UVA and UVB lighting. The need for UVA and UVB lighting makes the initial set up for turtles and lizards more expensive, however the ongoing outlay is minimal. Please note however that UV globes will need replacing every six months. If you think you may want a reptile but aren’t 100% sure, pop into our store and join the Pet Supersavers Kidz Club where you can get up close and personal with reptiles this school holidays from September 25-29. Or if you would like something kookier, come on down and check out the scorpions, spiders, millipedes, centipedes or a burrowing cockroach!

October 2017

Feature

Shelby I’m a super sweet one-and-a-half-year-old female Staffy x Kelpie. My owner dumped me when moving house, but I don’t know why, as I am great with male dogs (although a bit more fussy when it comes to other females), great with kids, and I don’t jump, bark or dig! I am desexed, vaccinated, wormed, microchipped, flea treated and ready to go home with my new family today. If you would like to see me, book your meet n’ greet today by phoning 3142 3496.

www.featuremagazine.com.au

HOME

GROWING VEGETABLES IN CONTAINERS Words: Oxmar Properties

Do you have a small home, like an apartment, townhouse or dormitory? Are you looking for a way to bring a little life into your small space? If so, you should consider growing vegetables in containers! This is a great way to provide yourself with plenty of fresh veggies, even if you do not have a lot of backyard space to plant them. With the right type of containers, you can make a container garden that fits on any small patio, deck, or even well-lit room. Pick the Right Spot If you have a little bit of a backyard, it is better to put your container garden in the grassy space you do have to work with. However, it is not impossible to grow your container vegetables on patios and decks. Remember that cement reflects heat, so if you keep your containers on a cement patio, you may need to move them inside during the hot parts of the day when it is very warm outside. Pick the Right Container You can potentially grow any type of vegetable in a pot, but some will need much larger pots than others. If you want to grow carrots, for example, you will need to provide a very tall, deep pot so these root vegetables can grow. If you grow a plant that needs to climb, your pot will need enough space for a trellis. You can also position a climbing plant near a patio railing, but remember that you will be unable to move it after it starts to grow there. Always choose a container with good drainage holes, or drill some yourself. Use Starts Instead of Seeds If this will be your first time growing a container garden, do yourself a favour and get a small cutting of a plant or a seedling rather than trying to grow the plant from a seed. Although this may take some of the fun out of your garden, it can give you better results more quickly, and may help you stay motivated enough to try planting from seeds next time. Growing from seeds requires a lot of planning ahead of time, so that you start them in the right season. These tips can help you get started toward your goal of creating the perfect container garden. Keep them in mind when you are planning your new garden, and remember that you have a lot of room to be creative with this type of home garden, even without much space to work with!

October 2017

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

DINING

Our Bar & Grill has a delicious a la carte menu available, along with new lunch specials (Monday to Friday) and nightly meal deals. The Bar & Grill hosts 250 seats with a large indoor/outdoor kids play area. Address: 37-47 Golden Wattle Drive, Narangba Contact: 3491 1000 Online: www.narangbatavern.com.au

A relaxed family atmosphere to enjoy Merlo coffee, a selection of teas, cakes and freshly prepared light meals. Address: Narangba Valley Shopping Centre Contact: 3385 5161 Hours: Weekdays 7am to 3pm Weekends 7.30am to 12noon Online: Follow us on Facebook at Valley Coffee Narangba

The combination of Cleanskin Coffee Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicately roasted beans and Aaron and his staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brew mastery. Address: 33 Progress Road, Burpengary Hours: Monday to Thursday 6.30am to 2.30pm Friday 6.30am to 1pm Saturday 8am to 12noon Online: Follow us on Facebook at Tommy & E Specialty Coffee Burpengary

Serving both dark and medium roasted coffee to suit all tastes. Come and share our passion and enthusiasm for coffee.

CAPPY HOUR MON TO FRI 6AM TO 7AM 10% OFF food + drink combos

Address: Burpengary Plaza, inside next to Woolworths. Cuisine: Hot and Cold Beverages, Cakes and Savoury Contact: 07 3886 9040 Hours: Weekdays 6am to 5.30pm Sat 7am to 4.30pm and Sun 8.30am to 4pm Nestled next to LJ Hooker on Main Street, Narangba. Rustic environment, a great place to relax with a coffee made from quality local coffee beans. Address: Narangba Station Plaza (Opp Narangba Train Station) Contact: 3886 7573 Hours: Monday - Friday 5.30am to 4.30pm Saturday 7.30am to 2pm Online: Follow us on Facebook at The Hideout Coffee House Narangba

An Authentic Americal Barbeque right in the midst of Burpengary. Try our Donut breakfast on Sunday morning! Fully Licensed. Address: 15/157 Station Road, Burpengary (near Foodworks), Cuisine: American Barbeque Hours: OPEN for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday and 6am to 10am on Sunday

October 2017

Feature

DINING

Full breakfast & lunch menu. Home-baked cakes & slices. Non-profit cafe. Supporting the needs of our community locally and globally. Family-friendly including children’s playground. Address: 793 Oakey Flat Road, Morayfield (Carmichael College) Contact: 07 3886 9040 Hours: Tuesday to Friday 8am to 4pm Saturday 7am to 2pm

Enjoy our $6.00 Bacon and Egg all day breakfast with an award-winning coffee whilst you relax in our family-friendly cafe. Dine in and Takeaway. Address: 8/1380 Anzac Avenue, Kallangur Contact: 07 3482 2200 Hours: Monday - Friday 6.30am to 2pm Saturday 6.30am to 11.30am

$6 BACON & EGG ALL DAY BREAKFAST

Get noticed in our Dining Guide - an easy to use resource for finding an incredible local dining experiences! Cost: From $60 per month (plus GST) Audience: Caboolture, Morayfield, Burpengary, Narangba, Dakabin, North Lakes, Mango Hill, Kurwongbah, Petrie, Kallangur, Murrumba and Griffin. Distribution: 8,000 print copies a month plus online Released: 1st of every month

Thai Green Curry Paste Words: Shirley Harring, Hand Sourced

Your Logo Here

Nothing beats a curry made from scratch, and this quick and easy paste recipe goes great with chicken and/or vegetables. Once you’ve made the paste, simply freeze it in 1.5 tbsp. lots in ice block trays, and then store in a ziplock bag. You’ll then have curry paste ready for every curry craving you have in the next few months. Ingredients: Method: 1 tbsp. shrimp paste Place a dry frypan on medium 1 tbsp. coriander seeds heat, and toast the shrimp paste, 1 tsp. cumin seeds coriander seeds and cumin seeds 1 stalk of lemongrass, outer leaves until fragrant (about 5 minutes). Set removed and sliced into rings aside. 1 inch piece of galangal, peeled Pound the lemongrass, ginger, Thai 10 x Thai basil leaves basil leaves, coriander roots, lime 2 x coriander roots, washed well and peppercorns, then place into a 1 tbsp. black peppercorns food processer and whiz until a fine zest and juice of 1 kaffir lime powder. Add remaining ingredients 10 x green chillies and blend to form a paste. 8 x garlic cloves 3 x shallots, peeled 2 tbsp. oil 2 tbsp. fish sauce 1 tsp. salt Learn the lingo Thai language has a lovely ‘singsong’ tone that most Westerners struggle to conquer. Here’s a quick rundown on how to get your tongue around Thai. GAI: for chicken, say “guy”; NEUA: Beef it up – say ‘nwa’; KUNG: A must for prawn lovers – pronounced ‘goong’; PLA: for fish, say “plar”; KHAO: any word with ‘ao’ is pronounced ‘ow’ – like ‘now’; KAENG: meaning curry, and pronounced ‘geng’; MU: it’s for pork, and it’s pronounced “moo”

Hand Sourced is a small, niche market product distribution company that actively works as a farmer’s advocacy collaborative at no cost to the farmer. We source and supply ethically raised premium produce, farmer direct, for consumer supply. By raising the bar on how you can expect fresh, quality-raised produce to taste, we make ethical eating easy. www.handsourced.com.au

www.featuremagazine.com.au

The

OPINION

FLIP SIDE WORDS Alex Habilay and Rebecca Fawcett-Smith

He Says: School didn’t leave me well-equipped

for life. Most of my vocation was spent in the parking lot on my skateboard; studying the curve of its slope and the bitumen in my grazes. Whilst I had a great sense of balance on the board, every other aspect of my life was chaos.

She Says: Celebrated in more than 100 countries, World Teachers’ Day was established in 1994 to recognise the role of teachers in society.

Thinking back on my school years, one teacher stands heads and shoulders above the rest Sue Jameson. My Form, English, Journalism and Film & Television teacher, I spent a substantial amount of my high school years with her, and I could not be more thankful.

The only class I would routinely attend was English. Although I’d been stamped with a ‘C’ since Grade eight, no estimation of skill could stop the wordsmith in me. I had issues with conformity, be it in sentence structure or wearing the right coloured-shoes, and this punished my report card.

Mrs Jameson was not a sage on the stage dictating information to us. She challenging and encouraging us and promoted opportunities for healthy debate and reflection, but most of all she made us feel valued, and we gave it back to her in spades.

But that all changed upon meeting my torn-jean, trendy haircut wearing Year 12 English teacher. Mr Clarke taught me the practicality of paragraphs, and that the parking lot wasn’t the best teacher in the school.

I asked my high school friends who also had Sue what their memories of her are. “Her encouragement was always tremendous,” said one. “She taught me how to think in a way that I still use to this day,” said another. “I was in love with her,” one confessed.

Before I met Mr Clarke, my life was an incoherent shamble of a cliché, but after spending 12 months in his classroom, I walked out still a cliché, but a worse one yet; a writer. A writer who was now worth a lowly B+, but a writer nonetheless. Cheers to World Teachers’ Day.

I kept in touch with Sue after graduating. She came to my 18th and we met occasionally for coffee or dinner. It has now been 20+ years since I last saw, but inspired by Queensland’s upcoming World Teachers’ Day (Friday, October 27), I have tracked her down and we have arranged to meet. And I cannot wait to thank her once again.

WANT OUR OPINION? Send us an email via editor@featuremagazine.com.au

Puzzles

#20. Solution on Page 59

Puzzle 20 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.45)

MEDIUM

2 6

2 8

8 7

7 3

5 8

7 6

4 7 4

October 2017

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Tue Jan 5 06:27:02 2016 GMT. Enjoy!

5 9

HARD

Puzzle 20 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.68)

8 7

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Tue Jan 5 06:28:27 2016 GMT. Enjoy!

9 7

Feature

Real Estate Guide Your Local

Making an offer on a property Page 56

www.featuremagazine.com.au

REAL ESTATE

MAKING AN OFFER ON A PROPERTY Words: Gina Wells, Raine & Horne Burpengary

You have found your property and are keen to put in an offer but where do you start? No one wants to pay more for a house than the market value, so how do you get the best deal? What is the magic figure to start the negotiation process?

•

Research the property fully and ensure you’ve satisfied all your requirements. Look at similar homes that have sold online.

•

Making an offer on a property is similar to playing a game of chess – each party waiting to see what move the other party is going to make. So what is the process?

Have an understanding of the vendor’s motivation to sell, their preferred settlement date and any other information that may make your offer stronger.

•

The process of making an offer on a property can vary from state to state. For some areas, the first offer can be verbal, for others it is written. Make sure you’re across the rules and how the process works before you start.

Remember to be patient. Some property offers can take a while and can be stressful. Don’t rush offers if you don’t need to, and consider putting a time limit on any offers you do make.

•

Ask the agent if they have received any other offers. If there are multiple offers on the property, then the agent must disclose this to you and have you sign an acknowledgement of multiple offers form.

Agents must present all offers verbal and in writing to the seller, but it’s often best to make the offer in writing. Doing so eliminates any confusion concerning what the offer and conditions were, and shows the seller that you are serious about the property. Be fair with your offer and don’t upset the seller with an offer that is too low. Do your research. If your offer is not accepted, then any deposit you pay will be refunded to you. The negotiation process begins when you first meet an agent. They will likely ask a number of questions to understand your situation and formulate an idea of what your needs and budget are. Before getting to the offer, this relationship with the agent might consist of a number of phone calls, second and third visits to the property and possibly some inspections. During this process and before you make an offer remember the following: •

•

Have a clear understanding of the process. Ask the agent to explain how they intend to take offers on the property, then check with your solicitor to ensure they are happy with this. It’s a good idea to seek advice from your bank or financial adviser to confirm how much you can borrow.

If your offer is accepted, the next step is to contact your bank and solicitor to inform them. Your bank and solicitor will need a copy of the contract, so ask your agent to forward them a copy. You also need to insure the property as soon as you sign a contract. Contact a reputable Pest and Building company to check the property. Your agent should be able to let you know of some local companies who have knowledge of the local council laws. If the property has a swimming pool you can also add an inspection for it. This is not covered under the building inspection, and many buyers are not aware of this. Also do checks with the local council for approvals on all structures. Your solicitor will be able to give you some information regarding this. Your real estate agent should be with you every step of the way through the process as it is a very exciting and stressful time. Once all of this has been done, congratulations and enjoy your new home!

Know what price you want to pay for the property and work out your strategy to accomplish this. Remember that this is a negotiation, so go into it knowing what the maximum price you’re willing to pay is.

October 2017

Gina Wells is a local, licensed and experienced Real Estate Agent. Send your real estate question for Gina via editor@featuremagazine.com.au

Feature

www.featuremagazine.com.au

Stunning Acreage Block

Offers over $259,000

Fenced on three sides and backing on parkland, what more could you ask for to build your dream home? With quality homes around this property, this estate is the ideal place to call home. 1 Sparrowhawk Drive, Upper Caboolture Features Include: * 2000m2 allotment * 8km to local schooling * 8km to Morayfield train station * Just a short(4km) drive to local shops Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to own your own piece of the prime acreage. Call Mark Cheney today this property will not last long. 0409 876 778

Beat the rush, secure this beautiful home in prime Narangba location Offers over $679,000

You will surely fall in love with this fully renovated 5 bedroom home on just over 1/4 acre block. Perfect for the whole family as it is in close proximity to local primary and high schools, shops, public transport and highway access. Enjoy an afternoon stroll down to the lake, or ride your bicycle around the pathways of Narangba and enjoy the suburb's gorgeous surroundings.

2 Placid Court, Narangba

Features Include:

* 4 Spacious Bedrooms * 3 Bathroom incl ensuite with spa * Master chef worthy kitchen featuring gas cooking * Ceiling fans throughout * Car accommodation for 5 cars, including triple garage * Stunning pool * Attractive timber floors * Ducted air conditioning * Under cover outdoor entertaining * Family friendly huge 1300m2 block of land * Close to fantastic primary and secondary schools * 7m x 9m Powered Shed * Garden shed * Shed + Attic room/study great for storage * Fully renovated inside and out * Steel framed * Potential granny flat, toilet and shower in shed

Nothing to do here but move in and enjoy the opulence. Call The Mark Cheney Team now to arrange a private inspection!

0409 876 778

A great piece of country living a stones throw away from local amenities Offers over $599,000 Just 2 ks from the Bruce Highway, with Costco just on the other side and less than 8 ks from Westfield North Lakes. 410 Boundary Road, Dakabin

Features Include: * 12m x 6m x 3.1m Colourbond Shed * 12m x 6m x 3.1m Attached Carport * 6.5KW Solar Panels on Roof * 3 Phase Power to Building Site * Water and Power to Shed * Concrete Driveway to Building Site If you would like more information on this awesome property don't hesitate to give Mark Cheney a call to book your inspection today. This property will not last long, so don't delay.

0409 876 778

Do you desire to wake up with to the sound of nature?

Offers over $539,000

Charming brick and Colorbond home nestled on a 4,201sqm block. This property will certainly impress on size, location and value. You will appreciate the quietness and serenity of the area. Great sized home with 2 separate living areas, great for a children's rumpus room or study. The well-appointed kitchen offers good storage and space, Large decked patio area will be the relaxing point of the whole house, sit, relax and take in the picturesque views of this lovely home. Includes 18m x 7.5m Shed with 3 phase power and added shower and toilet!! Plus an attached 9m x 6m carport. Schools and Train Stations less than a 4 minute drive, the newly refurbished Burpengary Plaza and Bruce Highway is only a 10-12 minute drive.

Features include:

31-33 Chestnut Drive, Burpengary

* Two separated living areas * Four bedrooms, the main has an en-suite bathroom and a walk-in Robe * kitchen with Gas hotplates * Air-conditioning * Ceiling Fans * Security Alarm * Cork and carpets * Good storage cupboards * A nice, wide, covered, full length rear timber deck * Colorbond shed, approx. 18m x 7.5m with 3 phase power, shower, toilet and attached 9m x 6m carport * Large rainwater tank with pump to many taps in the picturesque back gardens * Bore at the front to service the well planted gardens * Solar Power, 8 panels * Good quality fencing * Bitumen driveway and hard-stand * Reserve at the back and one side

You must inspect this well established property to appreciate what is on offer here. Call Mark Cheney 0409 876 778

www.remaxultimate.com.au

NOBODY IN THE WORLD SELLS MORE REAL ESTATE THAN RE/MAX.

Ultimate

remax.com.au 23 Progress Rd, Burpengary 3888 1511 | 264 Dohles Rocks Rd, Murrumba Downs 3880 6925 |

www.featuremagazine.com.au

Each office independently owned and operated