INBRIEF School zone speedsters nabbed LOCAL police are disappointed after 17 people were caught speeding in a school zone over two days last week. The traffic operation is part of a blitz in local school zones to help protect children, with local police urging motorists to slow down. Noosa Heads’ officer in charge Senior Sergeant Steve McReight said police would continue patrols of school zones throughout the term. “We do it to look after the little ones,” he said.
All five fail drugs test MOTORISTS are being warned that more police officers are now trained in drug driving testing. Since the Statewide Drug Testing Deployment Project in late December 2014, more than 230 road policing unit officers in Queensland are certified to conduct drug driving testing, including officers in Noosa. Sen Sgt McReight said the increase in trained officers meant a drug driving blitz was planned for the Easter holidays. The new technology in drug testing has been tested throughout Noosa with a 100 per cent strike rate so far. “It’s shocking to think that of the five people stopped for a random drug test, all were positive results,” Sen Sgt McReight said. “That’s a 100 per cent strike rate and that was on a weekday.”
Gympie taken on board THE Sunshine Coast Sports Federation took a major step during the week, inviting Gympie and its sports fraternity to join our awards system. It really wasn’t a hard decision, as nearly all Coast sporting clubs play week in and out in competition from Gympie to Caboolture. I am sure many Noosa clubs have had some involvement with Gympie in their early days of formation. Noosa and Sunshine Beach surf clubs, along with Noosa Rugby League, all got a great start from the country boys in their heyday. Even today, Gympie and Noosa have merged to form the Northern Outlaws for this year’s rugby league season, and had a great debut in last weekend’s Super 9’s Tournament in Maroochydore. The new Gympie mayor is former Wide Bay league star Mick Curran, who is fully behind this
Benny’s
beat BENNY PIKE
move giving his area's athletes the recognition they deserve. But hang on, it’s not only the athletes who will get some muchneeded exposure, the awards cover all aspects - with coach, event, team, volunteer, Special Olympics all in the mix. Gympie already has some fantastic venues like their million dollar mountain bike facility, but their proposed $20 million Aquatic Complex will be a real asset to the Coast sporting facilities leading up to and including the 2018 Gold Coast Games. It will also come in handy if Brisbane/South East Queensland do progress with a bid to host the 2028 Olympic Games.
Noosa sports guru Garth Prowd is a born and bred Gympie boy, and I don’t think anyone would doubt his input and value to local sport over the past 30 years. I would hate to estimate the money generated back into the community from the events he has been involved with. Cooroy’s long-time volunteer Sue Stanley has joined the Federation Board, and a similar position has been offered to anyone interested from Gympie. I think the point I am trying to make is, while the Coast is sadly divided into four different shires from Caboolture to Gympie - I ask the question, why can’t these councils work in harmony as the sporting codes have done for close on 100 years. Sure they are all competitive and want the best for each club but there’s always good and bad times. Not every club can have the
Master dancer Alfie steps up
New technology and more trained officers means there is nowhere for drug drivers to hide.
AT ONLY 10 years of age, Alfie Shacklock from Peregian is on his way to achieving his dream of becoming a ballet soloist. Alfie was in Brisbane recently participating in a master class for aspiring young dancers when he was spotted by a talent scout for the Australian Ballet School (ABS) and invited to join the muchcoveted ABS Interstate Programme. The ABS is Australia’s national centre for elite vocational dance and is the school for The Australian Ballet. The ABS is not the only prestigious ballet school to recognise Alfie’s talents. Alfie attended junior master classes at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, by invitation, while on holiday in the UK over the Christmas break after being noticed at a village dance school class. Alfie currently attends The Dance Centre Peregian Springs’ full-time vocational programme and trains daily with ex-
SUNDAY MARKETS Alfie has been dancing since he was four years old.
professional ballet dancers Deborah Preece-Brocksom and Richard Leader. Alfie showed an interest in dance four years ago, and has been taking recreational ballet, jazz and contemporary classes at The Dance Centre ever since. When he is not at school or dance training, Alfie devotes some of his free time to dancing at local aged care centres and kindergartens as part of The Dance Centre’s Outreach Programme. Alfie and fellow dance students give free performances to audiences who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a ballet production. Alfie is a founding member. “It just makes me feel so good when little kids and old people love watching us perform. Dancing is not like a chore, it is just something I love doing,” Alfie said. Alfie will travel to Melbourne on 13 April to attend the first of four workshops held at the ABS during the year.
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continued success that the Noosa Dolphins rugby has enjoyed. Sunshine Coast Basketball has formulated its own association with all four clubs as its members, its president is Noosa’s Carl Wilkinson. Already it can boast a QBL side and its junior teams will now be strengthened because of the united push and wider choice of players. In finishing today, I just can’t believe the court’s softness in relationship to the recent drugs saga with some of our star players. Reds Karmichael Hunt will be back playing by April, after a fine and slap on the wrist. And he pleaded guilty, that’s what I scratch my head about. Anyway, if you’re looking for something to do over the weekend, catch up with all the action of the festival of surfing. Until next time.
Ph 5473 0166 Parkyn Crt Tewantin www.noosamarina.com.au 10 NOOSA TODAY | Thursday, 12 March, 2015