Bundaberg Today - 13th January 2023

Let the festivities begin

Making the most of the region’s long summer days, the event will run 11am to 6pm and there will be something for the whole family to enjoy.

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Rein-in the dogs

By Tahlia Facer

A resident of Moore Park Beach has lodged a heartfelt plea to council to have the beach and community monitored following ongoing issues surrounding off-leash dogs.

Secretary of the Moore Park Beach Community Association Alan Corbett the beach, which was at the heart of the community’s identity, had become a place to fear for many locals.

“Its presence is the reason why so many enjoy living here, and for it to become a no go area because of irresponsible and selfish dog owners is completely unacceptable to the vast majority of residents,” Mr Corbett said.

“The reality is this; residents are afraid of

Big boost for cancer care

A three-year continuation of a public-private partnership will deliver ongoing innovative radiation therapy to Bundaberg and Wide Bay residents.

The partnership between Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) and GenesisCare, celebrating five years of service in January 2023, has now treated over 6,000 people with cancer.

Before the partnership people needed to travel to the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane to receive much of this kind of treatment.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health chief operating officer, Ben Ross-Edwards said that the partnership continuation and the resulting ongoing local care is great news for Wide Baycancer patients. Storypage7

being on the beach alone.

Residents are afraid of taking their children and grandchildren to the beach.

Residents are afraid to report incidents for fear of reprisals. Residents are arming themselves [with golf clubs and sticks] in case they need to protect themselves or their companion animals.

“I am a dog owner myself and while I understand the desire of owners to let their dogs run free, the bottom line is that in most public spaces, it is against the law and risks the safety of residents and their animals.”

Confidential

OIA leaked

By Tahlia Facer

A document containing confidential interview statements from the private hearing at the inquiry into the Office of the Independent Assessor has been leaked online.

On 8 March 2022 the State Development and Regional Industries Committee met in Bundaberg in both a private and public capacity to hear personal statements directly relating to the functions and performance of the Office of the Independent Assessor.

The OIA assesses complaints about the specific behaviour of individual councillors in Queensland.

Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak’s Shane Chung, Isabelle Chung, Carol Cullen, Robert Renaud and David Facer are excited for the Australia Day celebrations at Bargara.

Picture: ANTHONY NORVAL

Nielson Park at Bargara will definitely be the place to celebrate Australia Day this year with the Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak ready to host The Great Australian Bites Railway Picnic event.

Looking around Bargara last Saturday afternoon, it was absolutely a buzz with people swimming, strolling and relaxing over lunch with family and friends. Having seen the incredible statistics on the number of visitors choosing to holiday in the region, I asked people what it was about the area that drew them in. For many it was the variety of experiences and the people. They loved that they couldbeoutdiscoveringthebeautyofthe Great Barrier Reef first-hand one day and feeding animals on a farm the next. Discovering the history of the region through The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Barrel or the Bundaberg Rum Distillery or sampling some of the delicious options fresh from the farm over a few outdoor games at Tinaberries. Another aspect that stood out was the people; quite often the owners of the businesses or properties who take the time to interact with their visitors and share their stories, something which can make all the difference. Personally, whether by the river, the ocean or in the shade or a local property, taking in Woodgate, Childers, Gin Gin, Bargara, Burnett Heads or more, there are many local businesses and experiences that I embrace every time.

- Angela Norval

Kids

after rollover on K’gari

The Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew airlifted two young brothers to hospital after they were injured in a single vehicle rollover on a K’gari (Fraser Island) beach.

The rescue chopper flew to the eastern side of the island just after 7:30am on Sunday 8 January and landed at a helipad.

The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Critical Care Doctor and Queensland Ambulance Service Flight Paramedic were met by members of the

public who drove them to the accident scene, where they worked with QAS paramedics to treat the two injured children.

It is believed a family of five, including two parents and three children, had been travelling along the waterline in a 4WD vehicle when it rolled, landing on its side.

One primary school-aged boy was treated on the beach, then driven in a QAS 4WD to the waiting rescue helicopter.

He was in a stable condition, suffering neck injuries, when he was airlifted to Hervey Bay Hospital with his mother as an escort.

After the medical team handed the patient over to the care of hospital staff, the rescue helicopter crew returned to K’gari to retrieve the second primary school-aged boy.

He had also suffered neck injuries and was airlifted to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition, with his father and sister as escorts.

Call to rein-in off-leash dogs

By Tahlia Facer

A resident of Moore Park Beach has lodged a heartfelt plea to council to have the beach and community monitored following ongoing issues surrounding off-leash dogs.

Secretary of the Moore Park Beach Community Association Alan Corbett said the beach, which was at the heart of the community’s identity, had become a place to fear for many locals.

“Its presence is the reason why so many enjoy living here, and for it to become a no go area because of irresponsible and selfish dog owners is completely unacceptable to the vast majority of residents,” Mr Corbett said.

“The reality is this; residents are afraid of being on the beach alone. Residents are afraid of taking their children and grandchildren to the beach. Residents are afraid to report incidents for fear of reprisals. Residents are arming themselves [with golf clubs and sticks] in case they need to protect themselves or their companion animals.

“I am a dog owner myself and while I understand the desire of owners to let their dogs run free, the bottom line is that in most public spaces, it is against the law and risks the safety of residents and their animals.

“We need to remember that while a dog can be a person’s best friend, sometimes it’s the only friend they have.”

In the letter Mr Corbett detailed a string of recent incidents where locals had been approached or attacked by dogs, which included:

· A resident was attacked in her front yard.The resident had to use a brush cutter to fend off the charging dog.

· Residents walking along the beach were forced to enter the surf to escape two unleashed dogs. Eventually, their owner retrieved them.

· A unleashed dog on the beach bit a child in the face.

· A woman walking along the beach was chased by two dogs.

· A couple was walking by the creek when a dog lunged at them. The man had to step in front of his wife and push a crab pot at it to stop it from biting them. Afterwards, the owner said, “ it’s all good – he’s just trying to protect us.”

· A couple was ‘circled’ by a dog on the beach to stop them from moving away.

Other accounts detailed off leash dogs attacking and fatally mauling dogs that were on leash and being walked by their owners.

“Council signs indicate that dogs must be leashed. However, this direction is not being adhered to and dog attacks are an ongoing and escalating issue for our residents,” he wrote.

Mr Corbett said he had personally approached people with their dogs off leash and was usually met with one of two predominant attitudes.

“Some dog owners say things like, ‘it’s my dog, don’t tell me what to do,” or otherwise they say their dogs are friendly so what’s the problem,” he said.

“Other people have a history with dogs though and don’t want to be approached by

them.

“As a dog owner I understand that people want to give their dogs a sense of freedom, but I also recognise the importance of other people’s safety.”

There is not a dog park at Moore Park Beach but Mr Corbett believes there is one planned and hopes it might alleviate some of the tension within the community.

Another Moore Park Beach resident who wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions said there were dogs roaming the streets and the beach all the time.

“A few years ago I was followed and attacked by a stray dog and the owner was nowhere to be seen,” they said.

“I was cornered by it and I had to jump a fence to get away from it.

“I fell of course and my pants were ripped and I was bleeding, and I landed on my right side so my arm, wrist and hand were injured from the fall.

“I was 68 at the time and I was very fearful, very scared, and I don’t have experience with dogs.

“I don’t like them near me because it’s fear of what they can do. They can get you down and they can kill you.”

The concerned resident said there were babies and children living close by who frequented the beach, where dogs roamed free.

“Council need to put up proper signs that you can read,” they said.

“This beach is 18km long, there needs to be visible signs with the penalty advertised so people know what they might be charged for letting their dogs off leash.

“Dogs run at us on the beach and we’ve been abused for asking the owners to keep them on a leash. It seems like (council) are just waiting for an accident to happen before they do anything.”

The local said they had even been chased while riding a bike, with animals nipping at

their heels as they pedalled.

A Bundaberg Regional Council spokesperson said council investigated all reported dog attacks.

“Currently there are four dedicated enclosed off-leash parks and one off-leash beach area (Woodgate) where owners may exercise their dogs,” they said.

“Council has recently undertaken a survey to find out the off-leash needs of dog owners in other areas of the region.

“As a result of the consultation process an extra three large, fenced, off-leash dog parks will be constructed in 2023 in the three priority areas identified by the community.

“These include Lions Park at Moore Park Beach, Jack Strathdee Park at Burnett Heads and the rest stop area at Apple Tree Creek.”

The relevant council law under animal management states the maximum penalty for an off leash dog is 50 penalty units which equals a fine of up to $7187 for negligent owners.

Alan Corbett is concerned about the Moore Park Beach off-leash dog issue.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

JANUARY

For returning players, registrations opened 3 January and for new players to the club, clearance and transfers will be available on 16 January.

To register head to the website playrubyleague.com, type in the postcode 4660 and look for CHILDERS JRLFC. Go the Childers Devils.

Friday 13 January

Burnett Heads Community Raffles

The community raffles have been running for over 10 years within the Lighthouse Hotel and are hosted by the Burnett Heads Community Raffle Committee and other local volunteers. Tickets go on sale each Friday at 5pm for a draw at 5.40pm with over $500 worth of prizes up for grabs. Raffle funds go right back into the community including Burnett Heads State School, local families in need and the Salvation Army. The Lighthouse Hotel is in Zunker Street Burnett Heads.

Saturday 14 January

Wild Scotchman Country Markets

Held at the Gin Gin Museum Grounds (opposite the Gin Gin Post Office) every Saturday from 7am until 11am.

The barbecue hut provides a popular big breakfast including two sausages, eggs, toast, bacon, baked beans and onion for $7.50. The stalls range from fruit, vegetables, fish, and bric-a-brac, plants, books, clothing, and hairdresser arts and crafts.

Paradise Markets

Held every fortnight at 48 Ashfield Road Kalkie, The Paradise Markets have an exceptional range of stalls available to be enjoyed, including many handmade and unique options and are right next door to Nardoo Nursery.

Open from 8am to noon, visit their Facebook page for more details and the local musician providing entertainment.

For more details on the markets or to make a booking phone Charmaine Martin on 0406 600 754.

Monday 16 January

Bundaberg and District Seniors Indoor Bowls and Cards.

Bundaberg and District Seniors at 45 Woondooma Street (next to the Library) play indoor bowls and cards every Monday and Friday morning.

Doors open at 8am and indoor bowls commence at 9am. The cost is $2 which includes morning tea and everyone is welcome to come including beginners.

Free Tai Chi

Visit the Gin Gin Youth Activity Centre every Monday from 9am to 11.30am as Kevin and Charlie take participants through a free Tai Chi class – everyone is welcome.

For more information phone 4130 4630.

Al-Anon Family Groups

Support groups for the families and friends of problem drinks.

No dues or fees; self-supporting by voluntary contributions; anonymity and confidentiality is essential.

A 12-step recovery program based on AA and adapted with their permission.

Held Mondays at St Patrick’s Church Hall, 16 Powers

Street and Friday at the Baptist Centre, 14 Fitzgerald Street Bundaberg.

Mondays at 7pm to 8.30pm and Fridays at 10am to 11.30am.

Contact number is 1300 252 666 – 24 hours.

Bargara Over 50’s Social Club

Held every Monday from noon until 4pm at the Bargara Cultural and Community Centre at 160 Hughes Road Bargara, come along and have some fun and new friends.

For more information contact secretary Thelma at mcarthurthelma1@bigpond.com.

Bundaberg Philatelic Society Inc Meeting

This club of stamp and soon to be coin enthusiasts meet every second Monday of the month at the Bundaberg Family Centre from 11am to 3pm.

The monthly meeting starts at 1pm after members have the opportunity to view books of stamps and members of the public are welcome for this Annual Meeting for 20212022.

For more information phone president Owen Pennells on 0427 551 207 or treasurer John Tadgell on 0459 361 634.

Tuesday 17 January

Kidz in the Hood Playgroup

Held each Tuesday and Friday morning from 9am until 11.30am.

The playgroup is focusing on a different country each month with children enjoying making crafts and playing with other children while accompanied by their carer or parent.

Bundaberg Bird Breeders Club Inc.

The club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Family Centre starting at 7.30pm and welcomes new members at any time. If interested please contact president Kim on 4126 1495, secretary Alan on 0429 622414 or treasurer John on 4152 9637.

Wednesday 18 January

Woodgate Recreation Club

The club meets at the Woodgate Community Hall each Wednesday at 12.15pm.

For those wanting to play cards, club members are happy to teach anyone and they have equipment for indoor bowls.

For more information phone Carole on 4126 8546.

Cards Players for 500

Held 8.45am to 12.30pm each Wednesday at the Childers Neighbourhood Centre and designed for those looking for friendship and a great game.

For more information phone Colleen on 0478 943 449.

Bundaberg and District Seniors Old Time Dance

Every Wednesday afternoon commencing at 1.30pm, Bundaberg and District Seniors have an old-time dance to live music.

The cost is $6 which includes afternoon tea.

Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the dancing.

Bundaberg Woodworker’s Guild

Encourages community members to pop in and see what they have to offer with new members welcome.

This Guild is a community woodworkers guild and offer woodwork, wood turning, scroll sawing and pyrography.

Open 8.30am to midday every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and the gift shop is open for every occasion.

Bundaberg Woodworkers Guild at 95c Walker Street, Bundaberg, also sell handcrafted wooden pieces made by their members to help raise funds for the organisation.

Thursday 19 January

Christmas in the Skate Park

Held from 10am to 4pm at the Walla Street Skate Park, this a teen focused youth event with skateboards, street artist battle, sausages and sounds.

Bargara Lions A Cuppa in the Park Held every Thursday at 9am, the Bargara Lions a Cuppa in the Park is held at the rotunda tables at the Basin end of Christensen Park, Bargara and is a chance to develop friendships with others and have a chat over a cuppa.

Friday 20 January

The Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex Servicemen and Women

Meetings are held on the third Friday of the month and the Bundaberg TPI Social centre holds their meetings at The Veterans Drop-In Centre on the corner of Pitt and May Streets Bundaberg.

Please come along at 10.30am for a 11am start with all TPIs welcome.

Saturday 21 January

Grand Opening Day – Tennis Bundaberg’s Pickleball Complex

To celebrate the completion of the brand new Pickleball Complex, Tennis Bundaberg extends an invitation for everyone to attend their grand opening day from 3pm at 6C Powers Street.

For more information phone Barry on 0427 520 980.

Resuming

on Sunday 22 January 2023

Naval Association of Australia - Coral Coast SubSection

Monthly meeting at Bundaberg Services Club Library starting at 11am.

New members are welcome by phoning Bob Toy on 0457 384 489.

Thursday 26 January

Bundaberg and District Prostate Cancer Support Group

The Bundaberg and District Prostate Cancer Support Group meets in the Family Centre on Kensington Street on the fourth Thursday of each month with morning tea available from 9.15am and the meeting starting at 10am, finishing around noon.

Any man diagnosed or suffering with prostate problems can contact Rob McCulloch on 4159 9419 or 0428 599 411.

Saturday 28 January

Bundaberg and District Seniors Saturday Old Time Dance

This old-time dance is to live music commencing at 7pm. The cost is $6 which includes afternoon tea.

Everyone is welcome to come along and have an enjoyable night dancing.

Monday 30 January

Bundaberg Gem and Mineral Society

Held at 61 Kendalls Road, Bundaberg, this is a club for people of all ages who have an interest in gems and lapidary.

The club welcomes new members.

Tuesday 31 January

Calligraphy Class

Held each Tuesday, the intermediate class is from 9am until 11.30am, while the beginners’ class is 1pm until 3pm.

Learn the forgotten art of calligraphy writing.

For more information phone the Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre reception on 4153 1614.

Resuming Saturday 31 January

Bundaberg Organic Gardeners Inc

Held the last Tuesday of the month, doors open at 6pm for a 6.30pm start at the McNaught Hall, Uniting Church on the corner of Barolin and Electra Street Bundaberg.

Attendance is $3 for members and $5 for visitors with tea and coffee available.

For more information phone 0447 360 882.

Bundaberg Canary and Caged Bird Society Inc.

As well as holding monthly meetings on the last Monday of each month, the club holds regular bird shows.

FEBRUARY

Thursday 2 February

Literacy Matters Program

Held each Monday and Thursday from 9am until noon; this program provides one on one tuition to become better at conversational English, writing, reading and maths.

For more information contact the Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre reception on 4153 1614 or email info@bundabergneighbourhoodcentre.org.au.

Sewing Circle – Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre

Held each Thursday afternoon from 12.30pm until 4pm, learn to sew or join others while making pieces from materials and socialise over coffee with friends.

For more information phone the Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre reception on 4153 1614.

To add it to our Community Events Billboard, contact Angela Norval via angela.norval@ bundabergtoday.com.au. *Event information correct at time of print. Event details are subject to change at the discretion of the event organisation. While we endeavour to include as many events as we can, Bundaberg Today cannot guarantee the inclusion of every event.

By Tahlia Facer

The Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service has defended its spiralling performance ranking, saying ongoing Covid-19 challenges are to blame.

On 5 January the State Opposition published a media release saying Queensland’s health crisis was continuing to hit Wide Bay hard, with new data showing a significant slump in its performance levels.

It said the Queensland Health Performance and Accountability Framework performance ranking for theWBHHS had soared from 1 (Excellent) to 3 (Unsatisfactory) since June 2022.

LNP Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said Wide Bay residents deserved to know why their local hospital has suffered such a dramatic decline.

“Sadly this result isn’t a surprise,” Mr Bennett said.

“This is not the fault of our hard-working doctors, nurses, paramedics, and allied health professionals.

“The blame lies with the Palaszczuk Government and their lack of planning over the last eight years.

“Patients at Bundaberg Hospital are constantly calling my office with concerns about healthcare in the region.

“After three terms in power the State Government has given up on listening to Queenslanders.”

Shadow Minister for Open Data Brent Mickelberg said these were terrible scores for the Palaszczuk government.

“Queenslanders will be alarmed to see how badly the health system has deteriorated,” Mr Mickelberg said.

“The performance of so many hospitals is now at crisis levels.

“ItisalarmingmorethanhalfofQueensland hospitals audited recorded a level 3 or 4 performance, which is the worst of the ratings.

“This is a damning statistic and shows a de-

cline under this Health Minister.

“The Opposition shouldn’t have to use parliament to extract this vital response information for Queenslanders who deserve to know the truth.”

On 10 November 2022 Mr Bennett asked a Question on Notice during a parliamentary sitting, requesting Health Minister Yvette D’Ath confirm the performance rating for each Hospital and Health Service from 2019 to current.

The minister’s response outlined the WBHHS had slipped from a level 1 in 2019, 2020 and 2021 to a level 3 as of 30 June 2022.

WBHHS Chief Executive Debbie Carroll said the service strived to provide high quality, clinically appropriate care to the Bundaberg community.

“We have remained committed to this over what has been a challenging year and have managed our service delivery in the face of the impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, an increasing and ageing population, and a lack of affordable and accessible primary healthcare across our region,” Ms Carroll said.

“This has had an impact on our health system overall, and our hospitals in particular.

“As a result of this, the past 12 months have seen higher than usual numbers of patients waiting to be transferred to emergency departments, longer wait times and rescheduling of elective surgeries, sicker and more complex patients requiring treatment and support, additional costs to provide Covid treatment, testing and vaccination services, and workforce capacity challenges as staff were impacted by Covid-19 themselves.

“WBHHS developed several innovative programs to address these issues, as well as put processes in place to ensure service continuity, and we are now seeing the benefits.”

Ms Carroll said the Hospital in the Home program had provided hospital-level care to patients from the comfort of their homes and assisted with ensuring inpatient beds were available to those most in need.

She also said the Oasis Crisis Support Space had supported community members to access the mental health care they required in a peaceful, non-clinical space away from the emergency department.

“WBHHS received significant funding from the State Government to invest in infrastructure projects including the New Bundaberg Hospital, the Fraser Coast Mental Health Inpatient Unit, refurbishment of wards at Maryborough Hospital, and expansion of the Hervey Bay Hospital,” Ms Carroll said.

“These facility improvements will allow for more beds, and therefore patients, to be cared for.

“Throughout this challenging time, WBHHS maintained our accreditation with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, with our most recent accreditation occurring in November 2022.

“The governance and audit processes developed by WBHHS around the NSQHS Standards and Short-Notice Accreditation process will soon be adopted by all Hospital and Health Services across the state.

“WBHHS would like to thank our dedicated staff, who have worked hard to prioritise clinically safe care for patients who require treatment. It is a testament to their dedication and skills that those who need care the most – Category 1 patients who present to emergency with life-threatening conditions – were all seen within the recommended two minutes.

“We would like to reassure the community that anyone who presents to our hospitals, whether that be for emergency treatment, elective surgery, or specialist outpatient support, will receive appropriate care, prioritising those with the most urgent and life-threatening conditions.”

Bundaberg MPTom Smith said the LNP had “their heads in sand”.

“(They) deny that the impacts of Covid-19 on society have been reflected in healthcare,” he said.

“When a brand-new killer virus, the likes of

which has never been seen in the history of the world comes to the Wide Bay region, hospitals will of course face greater pressures as they have to dedicate large numbers of beds, staff, and resources to saving lives.

“The extra commitment of beds, staff, and resources has of course impacted the statistics of performance, but it has not impacted the performance of delivering high-quality healthcare.

“Once again, the LNP are attacking the very people who keep our community safe in a time of health need.”

The Bundaberg MP said it was clear that the LNP and Member for Burnett would never cease in their passion for bullying nurses and marching them out the doors of our hospitals.

“It’s bad enough that the Member for Burnett was a member of an LNP Government that sacked over 4400 health workers in Queensland, now he continues to bully the hard-working health professionals that he was found to have wrongfully accused of murder only weeks ago,” Mr Smith said.

“While the LNP attack our health professionals, the Palaszczuk government is getting onwiththejobofdeliveringforQueenslanders.

“I am very proud to be delivering the brandnew Bundaberg Hospital, having fought hard to secure the funds and the construction kickoff for our region.”

On 1 July 2022 the naming convention for performance levels changed to align with the 2022-23 Performance and Accountability Framework.

Instead of being ranked on a numerical scale of 1-4, each HHS will be defined by one of three language-based indicators.

The former ranking of level 1 (Excellent), 2 (Good), 3 (Unsatisfactory) and 4 (Poor) are now defined as either Performing (formerly level 1 and 2), Performance Support (formerly level 3) or Intensive Performance Support (formerly level 4).

Burnett MP Stephen Bennett and Nanango MP Deb Frecklington.

Picture: FILE WBHHS CEO Debbie Carroll.

Faces of tourism wanted

Following nearly three years of record breaking tourism visitation to the Bundaberg Region, and as holiday makers continue seek the regions extraordinary tourism experiences, the region’s Visitor Information Centres are calling for passionate locals to share their love for the region with guests as Volunteer Ambassadors.

With the Visitor Information Centres (VICs) welcoming around 25,000 guests every year, Volunteer Ambassadors provide support to the experience team by greeting visitors and assisting them with planning their time in the region and sharing information on our local tourism offerings, with an aim to increase visitation to local businesses and attractions.

The Bundaberg VIC, situated next to the iconic Bundaberg Rum Distillery, and the Childers VIC, located in the Childers main street, offer Volunteer Ambassadors an opportunity to discover behind the scenes of the tourism industry, with regular free day tours to experience the regions attractions and operators, in addition to full training to support their existing knowledge.

Bundaberg Tourism’s visitor experience manager, Anna Maslen said passionate local volunteers were integral to the work we do here at the Visitor Information Centres.

“These members of the local community volunteer their time out of pure love for the region, and share recommendations, stories of the area and insider tips to assist travellers in making the most of their time in the region,” Ms Maslen said.

“Creating genuine connections and leaving heartfelt lasting impressions with visitors to the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

“Our friendly team are motivated by the fresh outlook that comes with our volunteers, and we look forward to welcoming some new faces into the Visitor Information’s Centres.”

Reasons to volunteer with Bundaberg Tourism:

Volunteer Ambassadors are welcomed into a

sociable, safe and enjoyable space with a passionate and fun team.

Full training will be provided to support your existing local knowledge as ambassadors for our fantastic region.

Volunteer Ambassadors undertake light

duties in our modern, airconditioned spaces including greeting and talking to guests, answering overflow phonecalls, replenishing brochure racks and restocking merchandise.

Visitor Information Centres are wheelchair accessible and provides ample seating for

team members who need to rest their legs.

For more details on the Volunteer Ambassador roles and other opportunities at the Bundaberg Visitor Information Centre, please call the team on 4153 8888 or send an email to anna.maslen@bundabergregion.org.

Volunteer David Corfield and Bundaberg Visitor Information Centre Experience Manager Anna Maslen.

Picture: TAHLIA FACER

OIA transcript leaked

By Tahlia Facer

A document containing confidential interview statements from the private hearing at the inquiry into the Office of the Independent Assessor has been leaked online.

On 8 March 2022 the State Development and Regional Industries Committee met in Bundaberg in both a private and public capacity to hear personal statements directly relating to the functions and performance of the Office of the Independent Assessor.

The OIA assesses complaints about the specific behaviour of individual councillors in Queensland.

The highly sensitive document had been accessed online by multiple community members before the web page was ultimately shut down, with one source saying it had been available online since May last year.

Chair of the State Development and Regional Industries Committee Chris Whiting MP said the transcript had not been approved for release.

“A transcript of this hearing has not been authorised for release by the committee,” he said.

“It remains confidential and to divulge it could amount to a contempt of Parliament.

“A report will come to the committee as to how a third party was possibly able to access it.”

Mr Whiting did not provide a response to additional questions including how long the document had been available online or if the leak had occurred from an internal or external source.

Also in attendance at the hearing was Michael Hart MP, Robbie Katter MP, James Madden MP, Jim McDonald MP and Tom Smith MP.

A warning on the front of the document states that:

“This is a transcript of private and confidential evidence taken before the committee and should not be copied or republished in any way without the express authority of the committee. Any unauthorised publication of

this Hansard may constitute a contempt of Parliament. If the transcript becomes the subject of any request under the Right to Information Act, the committee should be notified.”

The State Government’s code of ethical standards states that proceedings that are not open to the public or are unauthorised to be published must remain strictly confidential.

Queensland State Parliament acting clerk Michael Ries said repercussions for contempt of Parliament varied.

“Under section 38 of the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001, a contempt (of Parliament) involves an improper interference with the work of the committee,” he said.

It is understood that in this case, the State Development and Regional Industries Committee would assess the report and, if it is believed a potential contempt has occurred, would refer the matter to the ethics committee for further assessment.

Repercussions of contempt range from the seeking of an apology to a maximum fine of $2000 per count of contempt.

Bundy to benefit from cancer care partnership

A three-year continuation of a public-private partnership will deliver ongoing innovative radiation therapy to Bundaberg and Wide Bay residents.

The partnership between Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) and GenesisCare, celebrating five years of service in January 2023, has now treated over 6,000 people with cancer.

Before the partnership people needed to travel to the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane to receive much of this kind of treatment.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health chief operating officer, Ben Ross-Edwards said that the partnership continuation and the resulting ongoing local care is great news for Wide Bay cancer patients.

“Getting a diagnosis of cancer is always stressful for patients and their support networks,” he said.

“Our partnerships with local providers like GenesisCare allow us to provide modern treatment for the Wide Bay community nearer to home with less travel burden for themselves and their loved ones.”

In the five years of the public-private partnership, the GenesisCare centres in the Mater Hospital in Bundaberg and St Stephen’s Private Hospital in Hervey Bay have delivered radiation therapy to 6,221 patients made up of 131,631 treatment sessions.

The team has grown over the years and now employs over 60 people from the local community.

“GenesisCare provides the same high-quality service and technology treating patients in their Wide Bay centres as they’d receive in a metro centre,” says Dr Sean Brennan, regional medical director at GenesisCare for Wide Bay and Central Queensland.

“For example, the centres offer stereotactic radiation therapy – a highly targeted treatment for patients with bone, spine and lung can

cers as well as Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) for breast cancer patients.”

Bev Lyons lives in Bundaberg, surrounded by family and friends.

In 2021 and 2022 she received treatment for skin cancers on her arms, with each arm involving 25 treatment sessions over a sevenweek period.

“During my first round of treatment, I was caring for my father, who was also recently di

agnosed with cancer,” she said.

Having access to a leading cancer facility so close to home allowed me to receive my own cancer treatment while continuing to care for my dad at home.

“The team at GenesisCare Bundaberg were perfect – they were so kind and caring and made me feel comfortable throughout my whole journey.”

Recognise this person?

Police are seeking public assistance to help identify two people who they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries regarding a recent occurrence in Avoca.

At approximately 2am on December 9, a bicycle was stolen from a caravan park on Twyford Street, Avoca.

The bicycle is described as a Black Volk Pro mountain bike.

If you recognise these individuals or have any information, please contact police.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld. gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Quote this reference number: QP2202119863

Do you recognise this man, from Avoca?

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Bev Lyons pictured with her father was pleased to be able to stay locally while receiving treatment for cancer.

Variety of opinions captured

The collage of front pages from this year’s Bundaberg Today has highlighted the need for a local voice in our region.

This publication does far more than document the stories that make Bundaberg unique.

It reminds that Today more than ever a diversity of opinion is more important than ever.

Michael Wouters, Thabeban

So much more than just a building

A library is so much more than a building with books.

It is a focal point for the whole community which it brings together and fosters a love of knowledge and learning.

The Bundaberg Library gives everyone that walks through it’s doors the chance to answer the most important question of all which is why?

Michael Wouters, Thabeban

Having a voice

A few years back, my wife and I did a long road trip around Australia and ever curious, we interacted and observed many cultural values quite different to our Western way of thinking.

That is the nub of the problem that ‘The Voice’ is trying to solve.

With the best of intentions our Governments have applied our Western logic and problem solving to people whose cultural ways of thinking are different.

This has resulted in failure despite the best of intentions and many hundreds of millions of dollars.

It needs to be understood that all these groups, from the desert, to the regions, to the coastal cities have varying perspectives and requirements, some without functional English let alone being versed in our Westminster political system.

As commonly said, one size does not fit all.

So a large gathering in Uluru including 250 delegates from the various groups, met to try and find some solutions.

The first and critical step to solving any problem is to own it. This is what was done.

The ‘Statement of the Heart’ represents a joint agreement of all these disparate groups as a way forward.

Now let’s be very clear ‘The Voice’ is nothing more than an advisory body on matters pertaining specifically to First Nations people.

It is designed to represent and take into account the requirements of that disparate group. It is nothing more than an advisory group.

It has no legislative power or veto rights.

It has no rights other than give advice based on that broad representation of groups.

The Voice has no more power than Australian Council of Social Services, The Australian Bankers Association, or the Minerals Council, or the AMA. It is just representing a group of hitherto voiceless.

I lament the cynical political fear mongering of divisiveness and two classes of Australians, before even the details of the referendum are out.

The Referendum is not scheduled till the end of the year, we will have all the information we need by then, but it really comes down to the simple, proposition.

“Should First Nations people have a body representing a broad group to advise Government on issues directly effecting them?”

A person with no particular concern for the welfare of First Nations People, should consider the taxpayer funded economics of continuing to waste hundreds of millions of dollars based on continuing a ‘We know Best’ mentality and doing the same failed thing over and over and over.

Isn’t it better that victims of this disadvantage take ownership of their problems and suggest how they see to best remedy ‘their’ situation?

Hey, might just save a few more million dollars being wasted?

Let’s also be very clear.

‘The Voice’ was being put together by the previous LNP Government. Ken Wyatt was the Minister. Ken Wyatt took detailed submissions to Cabinet on two occasions and called ‘rubbish’ to National Party previous Ministers, who sat around that same Cabinet table, and now claim to not have enough information. He politely said they should learn to read

LENSCAPE

their Cabinet papers.

Then why would the Nationals be out and opposing it before the details have even been finalised?

Because it is in their DNA to oppose anything a Labor Government puts forward, even if it was their own unfinished program.

The First Nations leaders present at Uluru say that they “don’t know who Jacinta Price is referring to when she says ‘my people’ “, as she is certainly not representing that large broad ranging group that gathered at Uluru.

Why does it need to be in the Constitution rather than just Legislation?

That should be obvious by now.

Given their current behaviour, a new LNP Government would likely ‘can it’ or neuter it.

Just as when Tony Abbott came to power he canned a ‘price on carbon’ despite evidence showing its effectiveness and kicked off a decade of Climate wars, denial and energy system dysfunction.

That is why having the Voice as an advisory body, cannot be subject to the whim of successive governments in an adversarial system that unfortunately frequently puts party political interests ahead of our Nation’s interests.

If come the time, we vote Yes then we have our Country’s best chance, with their involvement, of solving what have long been intractable problems.

If we vote No, we are back to same old, same old, which we already know after decades of experience, has not worked.

Chris Ennor, Bargara

Support constitutional change

It is very disappointing, but completely expected, that our Federal parliamentary representative, Keith Pitt MP, has declared his opposition to the indigenous custodians of this land being recognised within our national Constitution (BT 06/01 Voting no for Voice).

A referendum to make this constitutional amendment will propose that this country’s original inhabitants, having lived on this land for some 60,000 years before colonial arrival, should at least have a guaranteed consultative ‘voice’ on legislative matters that affect them.

The conservative opposition to this suggestion focusses on two approaches and Mr Pitt appears to have a bit of both ‘each way’.

He firstly questions the practical use of the Voice to assist in overcoming the ravages so negatively affecting too many indigenous communities, overlooking the significance of symbolism of constitutional recognition in determining culture, and subsequently outcomes. Curiously, Mr Pitt notes his own rebuttal in observing that what has been occurring over many years, is not working in any case.

The second approach is to call for more detailed information on operation of a Voice, rather than accept the broad intent of a concept, consistent with usual Constitutional statements and then allow Parliament to determine specific operation (as occurs with all other areas of legislation). This ‘putting the cart before the horse’ strategy recognises specific operational detail inevitably creates division and distraction amongst voters.

These two approaches are not new, with both being utilised with effect in defeating the proposal for Australia becoming a republic in the referendum of 1999. Constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples through a consultative Voice to Parliament on matters that affect them has no legislative nor judicial mandate, and as such, could be and should be, a simple concept that reasonable and fairminded people can support.

Mr Pitt’s even goes for a third strategy as a part of his opposition, claiming all people should be treated equally, but it is a strange, contradiction of his “values”, as in the national debate in providing for equal access to marriage for the gay community (2017), Mr Pitt showed no concern for equality, as he was one of the just four of 151 Members of the Federal Parliament that voted against such equality.

Mr Pitt was on the ‘wrong side of history’ in 2017 and it is hoped that Australians will consign him to this position again in the referendum later this year by supporting constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians.

Allan Cook, Millbank

A little doesn’t always go a long way

I have never studied economics.

I came from a poor family where my mother taught me to look after my pennies and the pounds would take care of themselves.

These days it would be look after your cents and the dollars will take care of themselves.

I also learned early in life to give a portion of my pocket money and then a portion of my wages and now a portion of my pension to God.

When we honour God he blesses us in a mighty way.

Now in our old age we own our house and we have no debt.

We live very well on the age pension.

Now Albanese wants to bless the lowest wage owners with a pay rise.

This will put a few dollars more in the pay packet of those on the basic wage.

But the people receiving it won’t be any better off because the unions will want every one up the the line to get the same percentage increase in their pay packet as they have always done.

This will mean that the gap between the poor and the better paid workers will increase.

Prices will increase to cover the extra cost on every business.

The big retail stores will simply sack some of their staff to cover the cost.

So some will actually be worse off than they are now.

K.J. Vincent, Bundaberg

West

Anthony Norval shares this beautiful moment in nature at Bargara. Send your local photos to editorial@bundabergtoday.com.au or Facebook. com/BundabergToday for a chance to see them featured in our pages. Don’t forget to let us know where and when you took the shot.

Youth justice needs re-think

The murder of Brisbane mother Emma Lovell in her own home on Boxing Day was a shock to every Australian family.

The fact that she was murdered defending her own home was bad enough but the allegation that she was stabbed by a 17-year-old who was out on bail for a previous stabbing has led to understandable public anger and calls for law forms.

It was only Australia Day in 2021, when Matthew Field and Kate Leadbetter were also killed by a drug and alcohol fuelled teenage driver in a stolen car out on bail.

The 18-year-old (who was 17 at the time) was sentenced as a child to 10 years and will be released when he is 28 if not sooner.

Many may condemn this sentence as“light” but the ultimate question is how do we stop the offence from happening in the first place not just how much or how long we should punish the offender.

For example, the teenager involved was first identified by the Child Safety Department when he was nine because he was self-harming, left unsupervised, was unfed and exposed to domestic violence and abuse.

He started using methamphetamine (ice) and cannabis every day from when he was 12, was frequently absent from school and sometimes lived in parks.

He had had numerous interactions with the police and had an extensive criminal record by the time he was 15.

Who is to blame for this situation - the child, the parent, the system or a society that allows 12 year olds to basically roam the streets without control?

The Palaszczuk government which has been asleep at the wheel on youth justice reforms for the past eight years have finally listened to local communities and increased penalties relating to bail conditions for repeat offenders.

The State Government have claimed that their previous “crack down” on youth crime is showing results – with more serious offenders in detention than ever and for longer.

The problem is that tougher sentences and more jails won’t solve the long-term problem –it only makes them worse.

The reality for many juvenile offenders is that they will at some point be released –and many simply go onto to do more serious crimes.

The longer they are incarcerated – the greater the chance they will reoffend upon release.

It’s incredible to think that Queensland’s prisoner population has increased from 2500 in 1990 to almost 10,000 today.

There has been a 15 per cent increase in prison numbers in 2020-21 alone.

While the number of juvenile offenders overall have been decreasing in Queenslandthe problem is that 10 per cent of the offend-

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TOM MARLAND

ers commit over 50 per cent of the crimes and many of them are serial repeat offenders.

The Police and Child Safety Department know who they are but are without any real resources to do anything about it other than to repeat the flawed and failed cycle.

The other scary statistic is that of the repeat offenders aged 10 to 17 – 60 per cent had experienced domestic violence, 46 per cent were diagnosed with a mental health disability, 38 per cent had used ice or methamphetamines and 30 per cent had at least one parent who had been to jail.

These should be sobering statistics for everyone and reveal that we don’t just have a youth justice problem on our hands but are facing broader social issues that won’t be easily fixed and we need a rethink on how we approach our entire justice system.

Former Queensland prisons boss Keith Hamburger AM the former Director General of Queensland Corrective Services from 1988 to 1997 has been warning for years of a “massive social disaster” in our juvenile justice system.

Mr Hamburger argues that tougher sentences and bigger prisons only entrenches the cycle of repeat offenders and leads to more serious and violent crimes. He has been advocating for a number of years an overhaul of Queensland, and Australia’s, youth justice system with an aim of “rehabilitation and support” rather than “confinement and longer punishment”.

Mr Hamburger states that the real problem is repeat offenders are “kids coming from broken families, they see dad bashing mum, they have been molested, they haven’t been fed, they are allowed to roam the streets at night and aren’t required to go to school. So, to give them a kick in the backside just reinforces everything that has ever happened to them”.

We need to look at our entire social system – from our education, child safety, health and justice system – to find a better way to identify children who are at risk and provide support to them and their families so that they may avoid future tragedy.

We also need to make sure our families and communities are safe in their own homes and design programs where juveniles who pose an unacceptable risk are not simply released and allowed to roam the streets at night.

But we also can’t judge our “success” simply about the number of wayward kids we lock up – but by the number that we don’t.

EYE HEALTH

with Dr Jai www.drjai.com.au

This Week - Fuch’s Endothelial Dystrophy ?

What is the Cornea ?

The cornea is a clear, dome-shaped window at the front of the eye which helps focus the light into your eye so you can see.

T heinnermostlayer ofthecornea (theendothelium)is lined with pumps that continuously move fluid in and out of the cornea to provide nutrition and allow the cornea to remain clear fo r crisp vision.

What฀is฀Fuch’s฀Endothelial฀Dystrophy฀?

Fuch’s Endothelial Dystrophy is a condition that occurs when the endothelial cells reduce in number, change in shape and size. Consequently less pumps are functioning and their ability to function well decreases. his causes the cornea to remain swollen and cloudy causing blurry vision.

Wha t฀are฀t he ฀sympto m s฀of฀Fuch’s฀Dystrophy฀?

In early stages of the disease, vision may be blurry or hazy in the morning. Often, vision improves throughout the day as the corneal swelling decreases. Often, the symptoms are so mild that most people who have Fuch’s dystrophy may not be aware that they have any problems.

In later stages of the disease, when there are less pumps functioning, the blurry or hazy vision will not improve as the day goes on. You may also develop sensitivity to bright lights or tiny blisters in the cornea which can lead to scarring.

Clouding in the centre of the cornea from Fuch’s Dystrophy

What treatments are available for Fuch’s Dystrophy ?

In early stages of Fuch’s dystrophy, eyedrops or ointments may be prescribed to help reduce the swelling of the cornea.

In some cases where the vision becomes badly affected or if there is scarring, an endothelial transplant may be required.

Dr Jai Ophthalmologist / Eye Surgeon MBBS(Syd) Bsc(Med) Hons (Syd) PhD (Syd) Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Ophthalmology, Senior Lecturer University of Queensland Rural Clinical School of Medicine.

Q&A

What is your history with Bundaberg?

I was born and bred in Bundaberg and moved away after high school to Brisbane for about 2 years before coming home to work for my dad and learn how to run the family business. I worked closely with my dad for about 10 years before taking over in February 2021. Working with my dad was great as he is my biggest mentor and my best mate.

What is the best part about your work?

All the different clients and personalities we get to meet. Working with a wide range of people and a variety of jobs means that no day is ever the same.

We work from big projects in capital cities to solar projects that have increased with climate change demands, to builders and construction companies looking to build Bundaberg and develop the local region.

We then also work with smaller customers who might be moving a container into a house and also attend crashes locally to assist where we can.

How does it feel to be part of such an important area of the region?

It’s great to be involved in all of the commercial and residential projects that go on and see those people building Bundy and theWide Bay from the ground up.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I own a ski boat so enjoy taking friends and family out water skiing on weekends when I’m not too tied up with work. I also really enjoy overseas travel as I like to experience different cultures. Obviously with Covid-19 that hasn’t been possible so I have been travelling in Australia with my last trip being to the Cape, which was like being in a different country. It’s great to see the different landscapes we have on offer in our own country.

Where is the best place in the Bundaberg region?

Kinkuna National Park is such a hidden gem in our region. The beautiful white sands and crystal blue water are amazing and it’s just 20 minutes out of Bundy.

What is something people may not know about you?

I have a passion for music, specifically EDM, house and techno music.

What do you want to see happen in Bundaberg?

I love the development side and think Bundy has a great prospect to grow. It would also be

great to see more restaurants and food precincts with different dining experiences.

If you could bring one thing to Bundaberg what would it be?

A big music festival with performers such as Fisher. We need to bring city people to Bundaberg to help showcase our region and all it has to offer.

THREE … meat-free meals to try

1

Bean tacos - have you found that mince is in short supply?

Never fear, Taco Tuesday can still go ahead - just swap your usual mince of choice for red kidney beans or black beans. These work well with smoky paprika and cumin. Simply simmer down with your choice of taco sauce, top with guac and sour cream, and enjoy!

2

Stuffed capsicums - who doesn’t love a colourful capsicum?

Eat a rainbow and get a few extra serves of veg in by stuffing the cups with rice, spinach, and even small vegies like corn or peas. Mix through some delicious herbs and spices, bake in the oven and top with your choice of cheese (we recommend feta). Easy, and delicious!

3

Pasta bake - it’s so easy to create a delicious pasta bake without any meat at all - and we promise the kids won’t even notice!

Experiment with different flavour combinations - you could rock a Mediterranean style pasta bake one week with plenty of tomatoes and oregano, or make the most of in-season produce with broccoli, cauliflower, and plenty of rich bechamel sauce.

with Phil Murrell, Murrell Crane Hire and Logistics

Phil Murrell, Murrell Crane Hire and Logistics

I have been doing this column for about a year and a half now and I have been getting some very positive reviews phoned in to our phone line and when I am out and about doing rescues and chatting to people.

If you have any questions you would like answered or you have a suggestion for a topic in this column, don’t hesitate to give us a call and I will see what I can do.

Today I am going to look at some of the most common questions that I get asked. Do you need to have training to be a rescuer/carer?

Yes, you do.

Our Aussie animals are, in most cases, quite specialised, whether that be with regards to their diet, their housing or their habits.

We need to learn as much as possible about each species that we rescue so that we can provide them with the best care possible.

Bundy Wildlife Rescue provides free training to its members.

If I rescue and care for wildlife, can my young children play with the animals?

No. We discourage any contact with young children.

The animals that come into our care are being prepared for eventual release which means that the handling of them must be kept to a minimum.

My dog/cat is really friendly and very motherly. Can she be a mother to the animals that

come into my care?

Absolutely not as any contact with pets is not permitted.

Rescued animals as I already mentioned, are being prepared for release.

Your cat or dog may be friendly and not harm an animal but, if you care for say, a possum, that learns to be friendly with your pet dog, when released it may approach other dogs with quite possibly disastrous consequences.

Is rescuing expensive?

It can be. The answer to this depends on what

species of animals you wish to care for.

Setting up aviaries, kangaroo pens and other caging can be very expensive.

Buying items such as humidicribs and incubators can also push costs up.

If you only wish to care for the odd baby bird however, you may only need a small bird cage. Another member of our group with an aviary will take the bird when it is ready to go into a larger enclosure.

Are there rules and regulations when you rescue and care for wildlife?

Yes. The Code of Practice – Care of sick, injured or orphaned protected animals in Queensland

which can be found with a simple online search, lays down the minimum requirements for caring for wildlife.

All members of Bundy Wildlife Rescue are given a copy when they join and are expected to follow it.

Are you sad when an animal that you have cared for is released?

Yes and no. I have to admit some animals take a piece of my heart with them when they are released but they belong out in the bush being wild and free, and knowing that I had a helping hand in making that happen for an animal makes me very happy.

Wildlife like this swamp wallaby can steal the hearts of wildlife carers but ultimately they want the animals to be able to return to the wild.

The essence of Aus Day

By Angela Norval

Boasting arguably one of the best locations for space, shelter and of course views and beach access, Nielson Park is set to be a hive of activity for the Great Australian Bites Railway Picnic on Thursday 26 January

For the fourth year, the Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak will showcase in collaboration with the Bundaberg City Council and with the support of Ainsley Gatley of Event Networx who helps to organise the event, just how the region continues to stand out when it comes to celebrations, great entertainment, food and so much more.

The Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak president Shane Chung said this integral community event was a wonderful opportunity for the club to give back to the community.

“Not only do our club members enjoy nothing more than the opportunity to support our local community, but it is also a perfect chance to highlight the role that our club has in our region and just how enjoyable it can be as a member,” Mr Chung said.

“For events like this, we always find that the more different community groups we can bring together to participate the better the atmosphere and this is one that just suits such a wealth of different ages and allows everyone to have a great time.

“Australia Day locally is a relaxed day and a great opportunity to come together and celebrate regardless to your culture or background.

“There is a real sense of spirit and atmosphere with this event and people dressing up in the fav Aussie attire.”

Being located next to the beach, Nielson Park is an ideal location for people to relax, enjoy the local music and some pretty delicious local food. This event is also a beautiful tribute to the history of this region and the original railway picnics that were so popular in this very location.

Some of the region’s favourite entertainers will take to the stage throughout the day including the Spargo Brothers, Keely Ellen, 2EZ and Smooth Velvet.

Highlighting that no two shows are the same, there will also be a Gold Coast band sharing the stage with local performers.

Fronted by Kate White, Magic Carpet Ride covers some of the greatest songs of all time.

You’ll be taken on a ride through decades of party tunes, classic rock, pop floor-fillers, 80’s anthems, current hits and lots more.

Magic Carpet Ride has spent years supporting many of Australia’s best-known performers and playing for large-scale events and

major corporate functions.

As well as plenty of local food vendors and the fun trackless train rides, a definite welcome addition to the day is an inflatable waterslide, water balls and mechanical surfboard.

These fun extras will be gold coin donations with all proceeds going to the Sea Turtle Alliance to support local turtle activities and conservation, another important aspect of the region.

Now while the Bundaberg Surf Lifesaving Club lifeguards will be holding down the service on the beach, there will some other lifeguards out and about at this event with a slight twist.

TheRovingLifeguardsarepartofTheAllTall Stars which create a sensation wherever they go. At eight foot six inches high with ripped abs, pecs and biceps, they literally stand head and shoulders above anything else.

Complete with witty banter, this roving entertainment not only create a dynamic presence, but make for a great photo opportunity.

Held from 11am to 6pm, visitors are encouraged to bring their own chair, hat and sunscreen for this free event.

Although the question remains, can anyone top Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak member David Facer for the most stand out shirt of the day.

Transparency, integrity and accountability vital in 2023

BENNETT’S BULLETIN

STEPHEN BENNETT, BURNETT MP

2023 needs to be the year of truth, transparency, accountability, integrity, and action from our governments.

We will face new challenges while continuing to deal with many existing problems.

As the year begins, cost of living pressures will increase. With students getting ready to return to school, financial pressures will become more and more evident.

We are thankful that charities, local community organisations, and businesses are preparing for difficult times ahead.

We thank all the hard-working groups and charities who help our community when we need it the most.

In the last seven years we have seen this State Government lose control of electricity prices (up 163 per cent) and housing supply.

They’ve also stood by while our health system deteriorates into a deepening crisis.

These are basic services that all Queenslanders deserve.

Our State Government has lost our trust and their integrity as we lurch from one crisis to another.

This year I’ll continue to work through and find solutions for many issues across the Burnett and Bundaberg region.

My top focus will be on health services, housing, and youth crime.

The Wide Bay has an aging population, we’re facing a GP shortage, bulk billing

ceasing due to Labor’s changes, and our health infrastructure is not keeping up with demand.

This is no secret and is something I have been working on for years. We need to continue to ask questions and work with the community to find solutions. Additionally, I will continue to push for real action on the housing crisis.

Doing the same failed things repeatedly for the last seven years has resulted in the government creating a crisis of their own making.

I’ll continue to call on the government to take immediate steps to help Queenslanders, like releasing land, working with the private sector, and reducing fees and charges.

This year I will continue to hold the Government to account, listen to the people on the ground, and deliver real results.

I remain committed to our region, and I am more determined than ever to continue to deliver real outcomes for our community in 2023.

Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak’s Shane Chung, David Facer and Robert Renaud are bright shirt ready for the Australia Day celebrations at Bargara.

Picture: ANTHONY NORVAL

The rise in power prices is a priority for Burnett MP Stephen Bennett in 2023

Stronger laws for community safety

The Queensland Government has announced new action and stronger laws to further protect community safety. This tough new action includes:

Increasing the maximum penalty for stealing a car from 7 years to 10 years imprisonment

A more severe penalty of 14 years if the offence of stealing a car is committed at night, where the offender uses violence or threatens violence, is armed or pretends to be armed, is in company or damages or threatens to damage any property

Amend the Youth Justice Act requiring courts to take into account previous bail history, criminal activity and track record when sentencing

Increased penalties for criminals who share these crimes on social media

Extreme High Visibility Police Patrols

A $9.89 million fast-track sentencing program in Brisbane, Townsville, Southport and Cairns so children spend less time on remand and more time serving their sentences

The construction of two new youth detention centres

trial of engine immobilisers in Mt Isa, Cairns and Townsville

The appointment within Queensland Police Service of an Assistant Commissioner to the position of Youth Crime Taskforce Commander

The increased penalties apply to adults as well as juvenile offenders. The Government will introduce the required legislative changes into the Queensland Parliament in February 2023. For more information and to have your say visit www.qld.gov.au/strongerlaws

Brisbane.

Authorised by the Queensland Government, William Street,

Plenty of relief from service

Huge demand for back-to-school booklist relief has once again seen the annual School Savvy pop-up shops in Bundaberg, Childers and Gin Gin help hundreds of families to be school ready.

With the essential school supply shops closing their doors for another year on Friday 13 January, CatholicCare’s Shari Jackson said that the number of people who accessed the service was a reflection of the tough financial pressures that many families are facing.

“This is our fourth year running School Savvy in the Bundaberg region and we have definitely seen an increase in people attending this year,” Shari said.

“In the first half of the week alone we had 1000 people through.

“It’s that kind of demand that really reinforces why School Savvy is so needed in our community.”

With housing crises and rising cost of living heavily impacting families throughout 2022, Shari said that it was no wonder that people are still feeling the pinch.

“Budgets are stretched and lots of people are needing to find savings wherever they can.

“It’s unfortunate to see so many people in this position, but we’re glad that School Savvy is here to offer at least a little bit of relief.”

CatholicCare’s School Savvy pop-up shops offer quality second hand uniforms and essential booklist stationery supplies for as little as $1.

Volunteer hairdressers also donate their time and skills to provide free basic back to school cuts.

“The haircuts are so popular every year and

we really cannot thank our incredible volunteer hairdressers enough,” Shari said.

“To see the smiles on the kid’s faces as they walk out the door with their freshly cut hair and feeling like a million bucks, it’s just priceless.”

The School Savvy pop-up shop will be back in January 2024 and the CatholicCare team al-

ready have preparations underway.

“We accept uniform donations all year round at our CatholicCare office on Woongarra Street and in our donation bins in Hinkler Central and Sugarland Plaza.

“We also encourage businesses to consider sponsoring School Savvy, as it is that generos-

ity and community giving that helps us to stock our shop with brand new stationery.

“If anyone would like to support School Savvy for 2024 they are welcome to contact us at CatholicCare to discuss those opportunities.

To learn more about the School Savvy CQ program visit schoolsavvycq.com

MPs want to hear your thoughts on cost of living pressures

The rising cost of living is having a significant impact on household budgets, community groups and business finances.

Federal MPs are encouraging people to make a submission to a new Senate inquiry to shine a light on the reality of the cost of living.

The Liberal and Nationals Coalition has established a Senate Select Committee to inquire into the causes of cost of living pressures and how they are impacting Australians, and to examine and report on ways of easing these pressures through the tax system and the provision of Government services.

Flynn member Colin Boyce has introduced a motion that acknowledges that Australian households are worried about increasing pressures from the cost-of-living crisis brought about by recent interest rate rises and continued inflation.

Mr Boyce introduced the motion into the House of Representatives on 28 November as he claims that more must be done to support families through this extremely difficult time.

“The number one issue that I hear when travelling around the electorate of Flynn is how people are struggling with the cost-of-

As the cost of living is set to rise, some people are worried about being able to pay their bills and put food on the table.

Picture: FILE

from their bank announcing an interest rate rise and every time they fill up at the bowser.

“On 97 occasions the Prime Minister promised Australians that their bill would go down by $275 dollars. Well, where is it?

“To help Australians facing rising prices, we need to tackle the source, not just the symptoms, of cost-of-living pressures.

“The Budget fails to use fiscal policy to make any headway to reduce pressures on inflation – the source of the pressure.

“This Government needs to focus on the issues that matter to Australians and deliver a real and comprehensive plan to ease inflation and cost-of-living pressures.”

Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien has heard similar concerns in his electorate.

the Wide Bay to make a submission.”

The inquiry will establish a comprehensive picture of how cost of living pressures are impacting Australians.

It will then identify the actions and the policies the Government must put in place to address this looming crisis.

“Local businesses are telling me that their energy costs are set to skyrocket in 2023,” Mr O’Brien said.

“These costs can’t be absorbed by business and they will have no choice but to pass on increases to consumers.

“This will just make it even harder for households and community groups in Wide Bay to make ends meet.”

living crisis,” Mr Boyce said.

“I have been inundated by emails and calls from retirees, families and working people that are hurting every time they go to the supermarket, every time they open their electricity bill, every time they get a letter

“Many constituents tell me that the cost of living is the number one issue they are facing, and some are worried about being able to pay their bills and put food on the table,” he said.

“The Select Committee wants to hear from Australians across a broad range of sectors and demographics, and I encourage families, individuals, and community organisations in

The Senate Select Committee is inviting submissions from interested individuals and organisations, and will close on 10 March 2023.

The Committee intends to conduct hearings and call witnesses before releasing its final report and recommendations.

Submissions can be via the Committee’s website: aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Cost_of_Livinq/ costofliving

Families were able to browse through a variety of school needs and even catch up with other school families.

The School Savvy pop ups were incredibly popular and a reflection of the hard times.

The School Savvy Bundaberg team were proud to be able to provide this valuable service to the community.

New bar a dream come true

By Angela Norval

After months of research, planning and building, it has been the realisation of a dream for The Vine Bar at Bargara owners Adam and Louise Carrig since their grand opening on Saturday 10 December.

With social media filling with photographs of locals and visitors to the region alike enjoying a wealth of fine whiskeys, antipasto boards and delicious desserts, it is easy to see why the couple’s forecasted figures have definitely been exceeded.

Adam and Louise said seeing their dreams and hard work become a reality has been hugely satisfying.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive, yet we appreciate that there is still a lot of hard work to go until we are properly established,” they said.

“We are proud to be the region’s first dedicated wine and cheese bar, packed and presented in a typical small-metropolitan bar feel.

“The Vine Bar has been well accepted because it provides that point of difference as a small and intimate wine and cheese bar that enables guests to enjoy the finer things in life while relaxing with family and friends.

“Our patronage has been a pleasant mix of locals and tourists, many of whom have mentioned that this is what Bargara needed.”

Asked what were the areas of The Vine Bar that had continued to stand out for guests, Adam and Louise highlighted that people had enjoyed the ambience that having a small venue creates.

“It’s fit out and set up in a way that’s conducive to enjoying wine, whiskey, cheese

and conversation.

“We pride ourselves on the fact that our food and drink is also second to none, while we also back that up with our tailored service and product knowledge which is vital for our industry.

“All of this combined, means we are truly unique in the region.”

By supporting other local businesses, the couple have been able to create cheese, meat and antipasto platters with the highest quality ingredients and serve them in large portions to be enjoyed together.

“Supporting local businesses and having local businesses support us makes all the difference.

“It means we can secure steady supply and be agile to shifting demands, all whilst having a solid relationship with our suppliers, who generally end up frequenting our venue in return.

“We recently put together an appreciation post for Facebook and it was such a long list that started with the dedicate tradespeople and industry specialists who helped get our premises to the standard it is now and then continued with local chocolate makers, brewers, wine specialists, coffee producers, uniform specialists and even Jay Feather Artist who created a stunning artwork for one of our walls.”

With 2023 already upon them, Adam and Louise are continuing to enjoy sharing the fun, holiday vibes of Bargara over the holidays, but are committed to establishing their business model, so The Vine Bar becomes a permanent and attractive option within the hospitality landscape of the region.

Know your options with virtual financial assistants

A virtual financial assistant is just like a virtual assistant—but they look after your finances.

Operating within the virtual space, they use sophisticated software to help businesses with calculations, tracking expenses, filing taxes and more. It’s like always having an expert by your side.

With a virtual financial assistant, businesses can free up valuable resources, save both time and money, and focus on other areas that need attention:

Bookkeeping services to help you keep track of your accounts.

Invoicing to ensure you receive payments in a prompt manner.

Budgeting to make sure you stay on top of your expenses.

Personalised services tailored to fit your unique needs.

Plugging into a virtual financial assistant can help entrepreneurs get back hours of time every week.

Not only does it provide more time for strategy around the future of your business, but it also provides additional resources that

BUSINESS

JESSE WILLIAMSON

might otherwise be too costly.

A virtual financial assistant can help manage your accounts payable and receivable, create financial statements, automate invoicing and payment processing, analyse spending trends and ensure accurate tax compliance.

The invaluable support a virtual assistant provides can free up your time to focus on core functions and higher-level strategy.

This helps you stay on top of sector developments, while ensuring day-to-day operations are taken care of—enabling you to increase efficiency and profitability.

A virtual financial assistant can provide much of the same assistance that an in-office bookkeeper can, but with certain distinct advantages.

These include access to a more diverse and specialised skill set, greater scalability when handling more complex tasks, and no overhead costs for physical office space.

Additionally, there is greater flexibility with a virtual arrangement, making it ideal for those seeking to outsource certain aspects of their business from the comfort of their own home or office.

All in all, many businesses find that opting for a virtual financial assistant has cut down on costs without sacrificing quality of service.

In today’s digital world, finding a reliable virtual assistant to help you get the job done has never been easier.

A common way for people to find virtual assistants is through freelance sites, or even on social media platforms.

However, finding a good financial assistant through these methods can require some trial and error, as reviews and credentials are not always reliable.

Alternatively, many businesses opt to use managed staffing solutions as these firms provide experienced and qualified virtual

assistants matched to your specific requirements.

Finding an assistant through this method provides peace of mind that your new staff member will be able to deliver on the tasks they promise.

When selecting a virtual financial assistant, you want to be sure that you:

Pick someone trustworthy and reliable. Make sure you research any financial assistants thoroughly before making a hire.

Read reviews, ask for referrals and check credentials. Also, consider the type of qualifications you feel are important in a financial assistant and carefully weigh all applicants.

Consider your comfort level when communicating with the candidate—whether they understand your specific requirements and if they appear knowledgeable in their field.

Discuss payment terms up front and make sure the method is convenient for both parties.

Taking careful steps to screen potential hires will help guarantee that you have chosen a reputable and reliable virtual financial assistant to handle your finances.

The Vine Bar at Bargara owners Adam and Louise Carrig have been proud to showcase their ideas to locals and visitors alike.

New site offers fresh focus

By Angela Norval

Pilates has well and truly bloomed in the Bundaberg region over the past 12 months, and for Pulse Pilates by the Sea owner and instructor Melinda Pain, the more people out there moving and strengthening their bodies the better.

Melinda is proud to have clients as young as 13 right through to 84 in her classes, who are able to feel comfortable yet challenged in her classes.

“My classes have grown in support, and I am fortunate that I have been able to meet the demand with timetable expansions whilst keeping class sizes small,” she said.

“My clients appreciate my approach to movement which centres around helping them realise just how good their bodies can feel with gentle but well-structured classes.

“I feel so humbled when clients tell me how much my classes have helped improve their life in terms of pain reduction or an increase in physical movement capability.

“I truly pinch myself when I think how lucky I am to have such loyal clients and I have really enjoyed being a part of their life over the past year, as they have enjoyed supporting me through the highs and lows of business growth.

“I love seeing the bonds of friendship developing between clients in many of the classes such as the specialised Mums and Bub’s group, with clients headed out for coffees post class.

“This year I will be working hard to share my philosophy of offering a space that facilitates “Movement for every body.

“Small class sizes combined with my extensive experience of instructing and knowledge of human anatomy as I want more people to experience the benefits my classes offer.

“Be it to improve their pain, assist their posture or help them reach movement goals. Now that I have small group Pilates Reformer classes to offer, I look forward to making that accessible to more people.”

It has Melinda’s enthusiasm that has seen her embrace new premises and make them her own in the Target Arcade.

“I had always planned to eventually expand my studio to a larger space, but I had not intended to be moving premises so soon.

“Whilst this move was unexpected, I am proud of my ability to reman fluid which I think is an important quality to have in the face of business today.

“It taught me that nothing is certain, and I need to trust the process and I am a natural optimist so it didn’t take me long before I was looking for the hidden opportunities,

I could offer my clients.”

Asked what she liked about the new space, Melinda said it had a long history in the region with many of her older clients having fond memories of it from their youth.

“From a thriving coffee lounge (The Loft) that was the place to be, to a space of healing and meditation in more recent times, there is an undeniable energy in the space.

“It has since been vacant for a number of years and as soon as I walked in, I knew it was ready for me to breath fresh life into it.

“The main drawcard for me was the open-

Talk money with the kids

With the cost of living increasing, now is a better time than ever to teach children about the importance of saving money effectively. With that in mind, financial experts from money.co.uk have compiled a list of their top ten tips for teaching your children about money.

Start with the basics of money and finance

How you introduce money to your children will partly depend on their age. A good place to start is getting children comfortable handling cash and coins. Explain to them how money is used to buy things and that it must be earned before it can be spent.

Speak openly about small financial decisions

Start getting your child involved with minor financial decisions, such as which brands and items to buy when shopping. This way your child is able to understand the decisions you make while also feeling in control of certain financial choices.

Older children could also help with budgeting while shopping if you ask them to keep a running total of the items you buy. Not only will this help their maths skills, but it can also help them to understand how small items can still add up in price and not everything is affordable on a budget.

Set a good example with your own finances There are no two ways about it, children learn money habits from their parents. Showing them small activities, such as checking the

receipt after your shop or putting money into savings can start developing positive habits from a young age.

Encourage your child to ask questions without repercussion in this setting. While you might not necessarily have all the answers, opening up a dialogue is a healthy way for your child to learn more about finance. Use pocket money as an incentive for small tasks

Using pocket money as an incentive to do chores around the house not only helps you, but it also helps your child learn more about the value of money and what it takes to earn it. Creating a simple plan with a set amount of money for different tasks, along with caps per week or month, is a great way to help your child start understanding where money comes from.

The relationship between work and money, household chores and pocket money is also a great opportunity to show children how to save. If your child has shown interest in a more expensive purchase, you could set them up with an old-fashioned piggy bank where they can ‘deposit’ their earnings or create a chart for them to fill out so they can track how much money they have.

James Andrews from money.co.uk encourages parents to teach children how to handle money from a young age.

“Creating an environment where you can speak more openly with your children about

ness of the space and its central location.

“On top of the thriving Target arcade, surrounded by some of my favourite local businesses, the location offers ample parking and is central without being in the hustle and bustle of Bourbong Street.

“As well as excellent privacy, my floor space has almost doubled yet I have kept my class sizes capped which is a strong part of my offering.

“It has also given me the ability to expand my offering to add Reformer Pilates classes which many of the locals have been requesting

as I taught reformer before relocating to the region and previously enjoyed it as a client for close to 20 years.”

Through the design of the new premises, Melinda has stayed closely aligned to her businesses humble beginning “by the sea”.

The space instantly makes you feel comfortable and at home with the lightness of feeling like you’re by the sea.

With a sprawling entrance many clients have been enjoying taking a seat on the large sofa after class before they head off on their day.

There is also is the incredible Jay Feather mural which has become synonymous with Pulse Pilates by the Sea studios and this one is a must see.

“Jay’s incredible artworks had become such an integral part of my studio and I always joked that I would have to take that first concrete wall with me if I ever moved.

“My clients enjoyed the serenity it provided and that each time you view it you discover more and more subtle details.

“When I told Jay of the impending studio move, she immediately offered to paint another one and was not deterred by the fact the wall is almost nine metres long.

“To time it with her move out of the region, I was so fortunate the building owner granted us early access so she could get it done before I officially had the keys!

“Walkingintothestudioyoucatchaglimpse of it and can’t help but follow your eyes to the full wall and it is nothing short of breathtaking and I have spent a whole lot of hours just starting at it and taking in all its beautiful detail.”

As a sole operator and also a member of the Bundaberg Business Women’s Network, Melinda has been able to share the notion of women supporting women that she feels very strongly about.

She met Tamar Boas through the network and she will now be offering her popular Yoga classes from Melinda’s studio three times a week.

“Being able to offer her a more permanent base whilst creating a little hub for the wellness community is great.

“Tamar has previously worked from the space a number of years ago, so being able to welcome her back in is very special.

“I really want to get the message across that there really is a class available for everybody and that my classes are enjoyed by all levels from absolute beginner to fitness pros.”

Pulse Pilates by the Sea is located at Shop 8, 56 Bourbong Street, Bundaberg Central.

financial decisions is key to them gaining an understanding of the value of money,” Mr Andrews says.

“It’s important to make sure your lessons are age-appropriate and that you continue to involve and teach your children about

money as they grow - a healthy relationship with finances starts at a young age, and children learn most of their habits from their parents.”

Originally published on www.money. co.uk/.

There are so many benefits to teaching your child about money at a young age.

Picture: SHUTTERSTOCK/SUPPLIED

Pulse Pilates by the Sea owner and instructor Melinda Pain welcomes the opportunity to challenge others while still maintaining a level of comfort through her classes.

By Angela Norval

A local Bundaberg business is providing a variety of options with people focused on getting home safely from local festivals and events or travelling to shows in Brisbane without having to drive themselves.

Operating since October 2055, Bundaberg Shuttle Bus and Mini Charter Services is continuing to provide a variety of extra services that allow for that convenience for customers, especially those that might not be able to safely drive their own vehicles.

Bundaberg Shuttle Service’s Amy Blackley said their most recent package for customers wanting to attend Moulin Rouge the Musical in Brisbane came from a Facebook post and conversations with customers when driving them to the airport or train station.

“We wanted to be able to provide an extra service and the feedback we got was amazing with so many people said that they would be interested, so we decided to put a package together and advertise it,” she said.

“It means a lot to us that we can provide something different for the region.

“People can relax and don’t worry about having to drive or organise anything; especially through this package it is all done for them.”

Amy highlighted that it did take a lot of organising to provide a complete service for events like this and also locally the bigger festivals such as Lighthouse Rock in 2022 and Lighthouse Country coming up in April.

“This includes making sure buses are ready to go and all drivers know what is expected of them.

“Having the staff behind us makes a big dif-

ference with these functions and a lot of feedback we have had; people are so happy with the service.

“Ultimately, we make sure they get there safely and a lot of people are thankful for providing a service like this as they can relax and drink and have a great time.”

Bundaberg Shuttle Service initially began in 2005 with two buses and now have three mini buses and a 28-seater bus.

The business started with just servicing the Bundaberg Airport and gradually increased their service based on listening to what people would like to do here.

“We especially found that when people visited the region and were staying in Bargara or the Coral Coast area, they had no transport to get to places and didn’t know what was here.

“Since than we put a couple of tour packages around and that has taken off, especially transport to the Turtle Encounter Tours.

“Over the years it has gradually picked up and we needed to get more buses as people were wanting to do train station runs, birthday parties, Christmas parties, mystery progressive dinners, race days, weddings, pub crawls, hens/bucks’ nights and any other functions.

“When we decked the bus out with party decorations it went off with a bang and as the numbers were starting to grow, we had to invest into a bigger bus, hence the 28-seater bus which the business are in the middle of getting decked out before the party season starts again.”

For more information in regards to the Moulin Rouge package or other options, email shuttlebuses@hotmail.com or view their Facebook page.

Bundaberg Shuttle Bus and Mini Charter Services is attempting to ensure people can have fun at festivals or events without worrying about transport.

Act now on connectivity: Littleproud

connectivity in regional and remote areas.

He stated telcos have failed to provide an adequate service.

Mr Littleproud said extending and reforming the Universal Service Guarantee (USG) to mobile phones from landlines and introducing mandated mobile roaming in 2023 was essential to grow the regions and protect lives.

‘In 2023, communication has never been more important,” he said.

“It’s critical as a safety and emergency response, enabling better commerce, business and social interaction in areas of limited network coverage.”

Mr Littleproud said he supported the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) recent decision to rule out a 10-year mobile infrastructure sharing deal with Telstra and TPG Telecom because more than 700 towers would have been lost. Mandating roaming in regional and remote areas, however, would share all the towers between all the telcos, which in turn, would maintain and improve coverage and competition.

Mr Littleproud said the former Coalition Government funded more than 1200 new or upgraded mobile base stations under their Mobile Phone Black Spot Program, which the telcos benefited from. He said there now needed to be regulatory guidelines to make sure they could be used by all Australians, no matter what telco they were with.

Mr Littleproud said if mandated domestic roaming in rural areas was introduced in concert with reforms to the USG that extended to mobile service and removed the averaging provisions that currently allow Telstra - the recipient of the $270 million in USG funding - to have landline customers without phones for months, then services would improve.

“The USG isn’t working and needs reform, which was highlighted in the Regional Telecommunications Review handed down just before the federal election, yet the new government has made no commitment to implementing its recommendations,” he said.

“Telcos should also be forced to maintain mobile towers, not just landlines. Unfortunately, the October 2022 Budget also revealed cuts to regional telecommunications despite the urgent need for improvements.”

The former Coalition Government directed an ACCC inquiry into mobile roaming, to focus on the costs and access to telecommunications towers and facilities. Mr Littleproud encouraged those living in rural and remote locations to complete the online survey.

“I’m urging our regional communities to provide input into the consultation process, open until February and prior to the publication of the Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry draft report in April, 2023.”

Woodgate Beach Hotel gets facelift

By Angela Norval

Locals and visitors alike have been taking advantage of the long, relaxing summer days at Woodgate and that has meant plenty of action at the recently renovated Woodgate Beach Hotel.

Woodgate Beach Hotel assistant manager Brandon Lindeberg said the family business that operates both the hotel as well as motel and caravan park had embraced the large number of people who had decided to pick beautiful Woodgate Beach for a holiday over the Christmas and New Year period.

“As everyone knows who lives here and as our own business theme highlights, life’s great at Woodgate Beach and we have been able to make it that much better with the opening of our new deck area,” he said.

“This has not only been an ideal place to relax over a few drinks with family and friends, but saw some impressive crowds especially with the wealth of local musicians we have been able to feature especially on New Year’s Eve.

“We can not thank the team at O’Rourke Constructions enough for providing us with the best gift of all this Christmas which was to make sure everything was ready to go for the deck area which is a credit to their extremely hard work and dedication.

“We were also pleased to have Christmas come early for everyone this year with the timely arrival of our new courtesy bus.

“We searched the country to find the perfect bus that would allow us to cater for all our needs with the welcome addition of disabled

capabilities and a wheel chair lift making it that much easier for everyone to arrive home safely after an afternoon at the hotel.”

The Woodgate Beach Hotel has a range of music festivals and events coming up in the new year but before then is excited to announce the coming of their brand-new children’s room coming in 2023.

“Stay tuned for exciting updates on this additional extra to the hotel as we know it is a welcome option for the younger members of the family and allows parents to relax over a meal as well.

“The Woodgate Beach Hotel continues to be an important fixture of our wonderful local community and allows us to provide a place for locals but also to showcase to those drawn to our beautiful town.”

AIPA concerned about uncontrolled airspace

Leaving busy sections of Australian airspace uncontrolled may threaten safety and should not be happening, the Australian and International Pilots Association has warned.

It was reported that areas of regional airspace normally overseen by traffic controllers have been left uncontrolled 340 times since June due to staffing shortages.

When this happens pilots are forced to‘selfseparate’, meaning they take on responsibility for checking each other’s locations to avoid collisions.

AIPA president and Qantas pilot Tony Lucas said this increases pilots’ workloads and poses a safety risk.

“It increases our operational complexity and workload because we are now trying to separate ourselves from other aircraft, potentially impacting safety,” he said.

“These sorts of events should not be happening frequently and certainly not due to resourcing issues.

“Leaving airspace uncontrolled should only happen in near-emergency situations, such as a fire in an air traffic control centre, for a very short period of time.

“We need to build more resilience into the system to make sure these events are not happening on a regular basis,” he said.

Areas of regional airspace normally overseen by traffic controllers have been left uncontrolled 340 times since June due to staffing shortages.

Deputy Opposition Leader and National Party Leader David Littleproud has called for government intervention into

Littleproud said government intervention must be taken toward improving connectivity in the regions.

The renovations to the Woodgate Beach Hotel provide a great place for visitors to relax.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Solar cash bonus extended

Although the Federal Government incentive which gives solar purchasers up to $7,000 cash up front officially ended on 1 January, local business Clean Energy Bundaberg has extended the offer.

Area manager Mr Terry Henry said that the generous incentive has been extended so householders who missed the opportunity over the busy Christmas period have a second chance to now get the bonus.

“I urge anyone who does not have solar installed yet to act now to take advantage of this great incentive,” he said.

“With the current hot weather and the concerns about electricity prices soaring, now is the time to install solar.

“This follows the recent 24 per cent increase in power pricing imposed and in the recent budget which warns consumers of a further massive minimum 50 per cent increase in electricity costs.

“Another increase of 20 per cent is due soon followed by at least another 30 per cent later in the year.

“Local householders who have felt the pinch from recent increases should gear up for further pain as the government and energy suppliers are losing the battle to keep power costs affordable.

“Recent rate increases have been forced upon us by the huge increasing costs of wholesale power production and the ongoing high maintenance of our vast grid throughout the country.”

Queensland in particular is now operating with less coal fired power stations due to breakdowns, untenable maintenance issues, and the overwhelming pressure to reduce greenhouse emissions in line with the recent hard line Federal Government’s policy to achieve massively challenging emissions reduction targets.

Although the recent federal Government offering of $280 to partially subsidise massive

bill increases will provide some relief, it will pale into insignificance as householders will now get much higher ongoing bills, particularly throughout summer and then ever increasing price rises into the future.

With over 1,000 people per week now seeking payment plan relief and extensions from power suppliers in Queensland, many homes

will be without power in the future unable to pay their increased power bills.

There is however some good news for solar owners.

“Due to the demand, local supplier Ergon has increased it’s feed-in tariff by a massive 41 per cent, thus solar owners are now paid 41 per cent more for their left over power that is sold

back to the needy grid.

“As power costs increase, feed-in tariffs also tend to increase.

“There has never been a better time to get solar.

“New systems have become more affordable and more powerful.

“The recent increase in power rates, means solar owners will save money and the increase of feed-in tariff will make them more money.”

Mr Henry says that the majority of it’s solar customers no longer receive power bills but instead receive credits which are tax free and don’t impact pensions. “Our clients enjoy a better standard of living when their power costs are eradicated and feed-in tariff income comes in, particularly if their power usage is minimal.”

Clean Energy Bundaberg is a locally based business providing local service and staff.

They have permanent Clean Energy Licensed installation crews, specialise in Global and German brands with up to 25 year warranties, provide a 5 star service to all clients and offer no cost up front to install solar.

Currently Clean Energy Bundaberg is currently offering a special 6.6kW solar system for only $3,995 cash or No Deposit and Interest Free terms from just $25 per week.

The company offers a free no obligation onsite inspection and quotation, and their experienced energy systems analysts explain everything in plain English and have been servicing our region for more than 10 years.

To celebrate the start of the heat season, Clean Energy Bundaberg also has a special on air-conditioning featuring a 2.69kw automatic reverse cycle system for just $599, plus installation, but be quick, as stocks will sell fast now that the weather is warming up.

Contact your friendly local service provider Clean Energy Bundaberg for a free quote for your home or business on (07) 4154 8787, 24 hours 7 days.

Local business Clean Energy is ready to help clients with reducing their energy bills.

Police urge locals to lock up Police are urging residents to lock up after increased reports in criminal activity, particularly break and enters into motor vehicles and homes, across the Wide Bay Region, including Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Gympie.

Most of these home and car thefts are the result of opportunistic thefts, where offenders are noticing homes and vehicles that have been left unlocked and allowing easy access.

Upon gaining access to homes, offenders are locating vehicle keys in insecure areas and as a result, are stealing occupants’ vehicles.

Residents are being urged to review their current home and vehicle security habits to help prevent opportunistic thieves.

Vehicle security

Consider the following tips to improve vehicle security:

· Always lock your vehicle, including the sunroof and toolboxes, and remember to fully close all windows

· Always keep your keys out of sight and never leave vehicle keys lying around on tables, benches, bedside tables or key hooks

· Remove keys from the ignition and lock your vehicle if your vehicle is parked or unattended, even if it’s only for a minute

· Remove all valuables and personal items when leaving your car unattended, or ensure they are out of sight

Home security

House-breaking, also known as break and enter or burglary, is one of the most common crimes and can occur at any time of the day or night.

By regularly assessing your home security, introducing targeted security measures and changing your everyday behaviours, you can help keep your home safe.

Good home security can be achieved by following these tips:

· Ensure doors are always locked with a key even when you are home

· Consider fitting security screen doors, designed and installed to Australian standards

· Consider installing perimeter security lighting including sensor lights and CCTV cameras

· Ensure trees and shrubs are trimmed to allow visibility to your property and your house number is clearly visible

If you would like further security awareness information, please contact your local District Crime Prevention Unit in Bundaberg, Maryborough or Gympie and we can work with you to deter, detect and disrupt unlawful activity.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www. crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Toddler dies after being struck by vehicle at Thabeban

A toddler who was struck by a vehicle at Thabeban on Monday 9 January has passed away.

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said police will prepare a report for the coroner in relation to the incident.

“Initial investigations indicate that shortly after 4pm the young child was struck by a vehicle at a property,” they said.

“The child was taken to Bundaberg Hospital in a serious condition and has since passed away in Queensland Children’s Hospital on Tuesday 10 January.

“Investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the incident. No further information is available.”

- Tahlia Facer

Identity of accused

By Tahlia Facer

The identity of the 24-year-old accused murderer and arsonist who took the lives of Biggenden baker Todd Mooney and his10-yearold daughter Kirra has been revealed.

Maryborough woman Kristen Leslie Olsen, said to be a self-proclaimed “barefoot gypsy”, has been remanded in custody on two counts of murder and three counts of arson following the December 20 shed blaze at Fenwicks Rd.

On Monday Ms Olsen’s matter was men-

tioned at the Maryborough Magistrates Court however she was not present, instead represented by solicitor Bradford Hill.

The Fraser Coast Chronicle reported that the solicitor representing Ms Olsen requested a committal call-over date and was seeking briefs of evidence in relation to the two sets of charges.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Claire Bibby said Ms Olsen was also charged with one count of stealing relating to an alleged incident on the same day.

With police having previously issued images of Ms Olsen’s white Holden Barina wagon, Channel 9 news have reported that the vehicle has since been located next to a trailer and caravan, with police alleging it had been burnt out on the same day as the Biggenden shed fire.

At this stage no motive for the murders has been revealed.

The matter was adjourned until March 6 where it was said her presence would again not be required.

It’s all happening in Childers!

As a wonderful area, the best is yet to come in Childers with the community busily planning upcoming events while also entertaining many a visitor during the school holidays.

Happy New Year Aqua fit with Kate.

Returning Monday 16 January at 8.30am, this is $10 plus gate.

If you want to increase cardiovascular fitness or improve your body composition with high impact, then this is a fabulous option.

See you at the pool in Churchill Street Childers.

Fitness sessions with Kate start Monday 9 January so pm Kate Munro for details and schedules.

Start your new year doing something just for you.

The Wedding Singer - Save the date.

The doors will swing open at The Paragon Theatre on Friday 10 February.

Doors open at 6.45pm for food and drinks with the movie starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets must be pre purchased as there are only 50 available for this fabulous movie event.

There is even dress circle seating with a drink on arrival and hot food platters.

Don’t miss out and contact The Paragon to book.

Childers Junior Rugby League - Save the date.

This local club is having a carnival on 4 March to be held at the showground and Isis High field.

More information to come in future weeks however set the date aside to support

CHILDERS CHATTER

MARGARET SMITH

this local club. Childers Chamber of Commerce. Last year the Chamber executive put a lot of plans into place and this year we intend that some come to fruition.

We secured $1500 from a Bundaberg Regional Council grant to create a memorial photo wall in West Street Hall to which we are so grateful of Bundaberg Regional Council’s support and will submit another grant by end March to complete this project.

Our intention is to have these photos up in time for the Heritage weekend in May 2023.

The executive will continue to work with Bundaberg Regional Council for funding to commence works at Lions Park Drive working in conjunction with ideas from Childers High School students and anticipate this funding to be part of the Council 2023 budget consideration and if successful works to commence immediately.

This will remove the ad hoc parking in that area and create a calming vista of trees and plantings along with murals as our welcome to Childers.

We will also continue to work with council to find spaces where art works will feature and will apply for grants to have these

completed in 2023.

The ongoing Heritage listed Buildings funding for renovations has been discussed many times with council and we also expect a great outcome here which will see council match your cost to do repairs and the only thing not yet finalised is how much will be available to shop owners.

Our breakfast meetings continue to be off site as we travel around and visit many of the local businesses to understand the diversity in our area and our first will be at ForestView on 1 February with a 6.30am start.

If you are not yet a member of the Chamber, I invite you along to this breakfast meeting and I will then send you the link to join us.

Our membership has shown steady growth in nine months which shows both the business and consumer confidence in the Chamber and the work we are doing.

I was asked recently to do an interview with ABC as to why so many new businesses have opened here in the past year or so and when I started to create a list I had 18 new businesses on there, three that had been sold with new owners and two that had expanded into shops next door so business confidence is strong, people love the community vibe here and location was key.

This year there will be weekly business promotions via Facebook and a business directory on face book to assist everyone find a service will also be created. Once the executive has its first meeting of the new year, I am sure there will also be many other suggestions for discussion that will enhance living in this area.

Man in critical condition following crash

By Tahlia Facer

On Tuesday 10 January a man was transported to Bundaberg Hospital in a critical condition following a crash between a car and truck at Alloway.

Emergency services said the man had sustained severe arm and leg injuries and had been entrapped in the vehicle following the collision near the intersection of Goodwood and Alex Walker Rds south of Bundaberg.

QFES arrived at the scene about 12.55pm where two crews used cutting equipment to

gain access to the trapped male.

QPS media said the forensic crash unit attended the serious traffic crash.

Goodwood Rd and surrounding streets were closed to traffic while emergency services assessed the scene.

The driver of the semi-trailer did not sustain any injuries.

A car v truck crash at Alloway has closed Goodwood Rd and surrounding streets.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Local police are urging locals to lock up.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

A Go Fund Me page has been set up for the Todd Mooney and his daughter Kirra who died in the Biggenden shed fire.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED The shed has been burnt to the ground.

Picture: TAHLIA FACER

Zonta off to a great start

By Angela Norval

The Zonta Club of Bundaberg continued to be a strong voice for the region throughout last year and is set to continue that well into this year.

Zonta Club of Bundaberg president LeAnne Allan said as they start 2023, now was the time to contribute to the greater causes of Zonta International, Zonta Bundaberg and the Bundaberg region.

“We are group of women who encourage each other, involve each other, support each other, empower each other, educate each other, enjoy each other’s company, and allow each member to do what they can when they can for the great cause of Zonta International,” she said.

Such is their commitment, the Zonta Club of Bundaberg has been presented with an award for being one of the top three clubs in Tier II of Zonta International’s 2022 Add Your Voice Membership Campaign.

Zonta International and Zonta Foundation for Women president Ute Scholz said Zontians were needed now more than ever, as the world continues to see the impacts of the Covid pandemic and the progress toward gender parity is stalling.

“I thank the Zonta Club of Bundaberg for the work they have done to recruit fantastic members to join us in building a better world for women and girls, our voice will be even stronger,” she said.

“In the last 102 years, Zonta International has provided more than US$46.3 million to make a difference in the lives of women and girls through initiatives that focus on education, climate change and prevention of violence and we thrive thanks to the efforts of clubs like the Zonta Club of Bundaberg working to welcome and retain members in our incredible community of gender equality advocates.

“I am thrilled they took on the challenge to add members to the club during what I know has been an extraordinarily challenging time.

“The Zonta Club of Bundaberg should be proud of this achievement, and I join you in celebrating your success; thank you for your dedication to Zonta International and once again, congratulations on your accomplishment with the Add Your Voice Membership Campaign.”

The Zonta Club of Bundaberg president Le-Anne Allan and membership chair Annette Baldy invite others to find out more about Zonta and join them onWednesday 18 January from 5pm at Rowers on the Rivers for a prospective member information session.

Le-Anne said new members would be part

of one of 2800 clubs worldwide and over 28,000 members.

“We would love to see new members join us and bring to the club their thoughts, ideas, and support for the great work that Zonta Bundaberg does on a local, national, and international level,” she said.

“The Zonta Club of Bundaberg Inc was chartered on 24 August 1990 (over 32 years) and is one of the most established charity organisations in Bundaberg.

“We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at Rowers on the River from 6pm for our monthly, business dinner meeting and the

club members are dedicated supporters of the goals and ideals of Zonta International.

“The club has been a very active force in the Bundaberg community, contributing by way of service and advocacy projects including a Young Women in Public Affairs award, two STEPS programs in partnership with CQ University, financial bursaries to girls transitioning from Grade 6 in local State primary schools (South, Walkervale, Bundaberg West, Rosedale, Gin Gin, Thabeban and Burnett Heads) to middle school Grade 7 in local high schools, co-ordinate a local 16 Days of Activism Campaign to EndViolence againstWomen

and Girls which runs from 25 November to 10 December each year as well as other ongoing projects.

“We also have some fun fundraising and social activities including a yearly community breakfast to celebrate International Women’s Day, movie premier fundraisers, Bunnings sausage sizzle, trivia nights, raffles, wine and chocolate drives and cent sales.

“So, if you would like to build a better world for women and girls locally and internationally this year, we would love to meet you.”

Please click on facebook.com/ events/679762540198540 for more details.

Stronger Together: Need help? You’ve got to ask for it!

When was the last time you asked for help? Many of us find it difficult to accept help from others, and asking for it can feel impossible.

At times, it can seem easier to sit with our struggles, tell ourselves that things will be okay and bury our head in the sand. In time, problems solve themselves, don’t they?

Sometimes, but not always.

The brutal reality is that you cannot do everything by yourself.

So why is asking for help so hard?

Asking for help demands that we show our vulnerability.

Some strive to achieve perfection in every role that they do, measuring their success or failure in terms of the number of things that they can achieve.

Some don’t wish to be a burden to others or fear that their request for help may be rejected.

It’s common to underestimate people and whether they will help us.

Many of us grew up with the belief that it is weak to ask for help, instead believing that we should be able to get through whatever it is that is troubling us on our own, without help.

Sometimes we might not realise that we need a hand, or the support we get might not be quite the right fit, so we turn away from it.

But when we do this, nothing changes.

Now think about the last time you helped

STRONGER TOGETHER

TANYA O’SHEA ‘IMPACT COMMUNITY SERVICES’

somebody; how did it make you feel?

Humans are hard-wired to help others. Most of us like to believe we are good people willing to be of service to others, so do not like to turn down a request for help.

And let’s not forget that helping someone else is a huge boost to one’s own self esteem!

If you feel guilt or shame around asking for accepting help, I’d encourage you have a think about why this is.

Ask yourself some questions to help break down your barriers around asking for help:

What happened before when I asked for help?

What is the worst thing that could happen if I ask for help?

What is the best thing that could happen if I ask for help?

Who could I ask for help?

It’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s there if you just ask.

Be brave, reach out.

The Zonta Club of Bundaberg members enjoy the opportunity to be an active force in the community.

Carbon report ‘misses mark’

An independent review of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit scheme has been completed with some 16 recommendations being made to the Australian Government.

The executive summary details each recommendation and key findings of the review, however some organisations have hit back saying the report misses the mark.

In a media release dated 9 January the Climate Council said the Chubb Review “misses the emissions elephant in the room,” and stated that carbon offsets could not be a substitute for avoiding and reducing harmful emissions.

“Cheap and easy offsets on paper do little to tackle the climate crisis, which is already harming Australians through worsening extreme weather, floods and fires,” Climate Council head of advocacy Dr Jennifer Rayner said.

“The only lasting solution is genuine and deep cuts in emissions.

“The Chubb Review has provided some positive recommendations for improving the integrity and transparency of carbon credits. But the most important question is: where and how will carbon credits be used?

“Big polluters shouldn’t be able to keep polluting as usual by offsetting much or all of their emissions under the Safeguard Mechanism. This will simply result in more pollution as usual and worsening climate damage.

“For the Safeguard Mechanism to work, and drive down emissions, there must be tight restrictions on the use of offsets.”

The Climate Council is calling for strong reform of the Safeguard Mechanism including:

A limit on the amount of emissions which can be offset by facilities, to ensure major industrial polluters genuinely reduce their emissions.

Setting genuine limits (baselines) for businesses that result in the need for substantial declines in emissions out to 2030, and which remove all excess ‘headroom’ provided by the former Liberal Government.

No special deals for any fossil fuel facilities, including new coal and gas facilities.

“Getting the Safeguard Mechanism right is critical for delivering the deep emissions cuts Australia needs this decade to avoid the worst impacts of harmful climate change,” said Dr Rayner.

“The Chubb Review should not be used as a licence for pollution as usual from Australia’s biggest emitters. We need real action now to cut emissions, not more cheap offsets on paper.”

Farmers for Climate Action mimicked the message of the Climate Council.

While FCA said it welcomed the release of the Chubb Review into Australia’s carbon credit scheme and called on the Federal Government to implement all of its recommendations, they noted that the final report did not properly address the fundamental issue of the integrity of existing carbon credits.

FCA strategy director Cambell Klose said

farmers relied on the integrity of Australia’s carbon credits to maintain the value of, and income from, their investments into growing carbon crops.

“Farmers for Climate Action welcomes recommendations made by the Chubb Review to end the multiple conflicting roles of the Clean Energy Regulator, give new life to the integrity committee, and to end new projects claiming carbon credits under avoided deforestation,” Mr Klose said.

“The review puts forward sensible recommendations which are a step forward in fixing the problems, yet fail to acknowledge any problems.

“It is contradictory to offer solutions without acknowledging the problem. This review skates over the idea that there are any issues with the current market.

“Australian farmers who have invested in growing carbon crops are the ones who pay the price when integrity issues with carbon credits are revealed because it reduces confidence in the market and the price paid for carbon credits.

“We also encourage governments to remember that offsets can only be a small part of Australia’s emissions reduction. Stopping emissions at the source is the most effective way to stop emissions.

“We support the Federal Government’s announcement that it will adopt the recommendations from the review.”

Justice delayed is justice denied: Courts and courage

Local author and advocate Trish Wyatt has just released her book Don’t Report Rape. At first, I was taken aback by the title of her book.

As a lawyer, it goes against advice ordinarily given to a client in such circumstances, so it did not sit comfortably with me on first impression.

However, Wyatt’s account of her experience of the judicial process traversing from when she first made a report to the police of sexual assault to the trial jury verdict, is both disturbing and eye-opening.

Wyatt documents her experience over this three-year period, which she describes as retraumatising. The obstacles and barriers she encountered are shocking.

The book carefully de-identifies people, places, and things. It does not denigrate the people involved but provides constructive feedback, from which Wyatt offers 14 practical reform recommendations.

These include updating consent laws, in-

troducing trauma-informed practice in the judicial system, and calling for an end to victim blaming.

Regrettably, Wyatt’s experience is not unique. Her account is like those submitted by more than 250 victim-survivors to the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce.

In its Second Report, theTaskforce, chaired by the Honourable Margaret McMurdo (former president of the Court of Appeal), states: “For too long, society has regarded sexual violence as a taboo. But it is prevalent in our community, with one in five women and one in 20 men experiencing sexual violence.

“Its taboo nature is one reason only 13 per cent of sexual assaults are reported to the police. Another is that those who do report find their experiences, from police to jury trial and verdict, traumatising, confusing, disempowering, and slow.

“They feel they are on trial.

“They want the criminal justice system to better respond to their needs.”

The Second Report includes 188 recommendations, many aimed at supporting victim-survivors through the criminal justice system instead of being further traumatised when they come forward to report and seek justice.

The Queensland Government’s Response to the Second Report supports 103 recommendations in full, supports 71 recommendations in principle, and 14 are noted.

The Attorney-General has announced a $225 million reform package to implement the recommendations and bring Queensland into the modern era.

From her perspective, Wyatt’s courage in telling her story provides insight into her lived experience of pursuing justice over three years and directly targets the areas where reform is needed.

While it is too late for Wyatt, we must advocate for the timely implementation of the Taskforce’s recommendations to achieve systemic change moving forward.

If you or anyone you know needs help, Phoenix House provides counselling and support services to people affected by various traumatic life events, including sexual assault.

To access Phoenix House services, telephone (07) 4153 4299 between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.

For support after hours, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

You can also access the 1800RESPeCT online chat service 24 hours a day at 1800respect.org.au

Climate Council Head of Advocacy Dr Jennifer Rayner.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Farmers need certainty from Australia’s Carbon Credit Unit scheme, according to an industry lobby group. Picture: AAP

Driving tests and dementia

University of Queensland researchers are working with people living with dementia to develop an online driver safety test that can be performed by GPs in their surgeries.

Approximately 472,000 Australians are living with dementia and there is currently no clear line when driving is deemed unsafe.

Dr Theresa Scott, from UQ’s School of Psychology said there are many negative impacts when people are forced to stop driving.

“Flaws in current driving tests mean people living with dementia are sometimes given no formal assessment, or they are told they have to stop driving as soon as they are diagnosed even when they could continue driving safely,” Dr Scott said.

“Some people don’t accept the decision to stop driving as they feel they haven’t been fairly assessed, and continue driving which puts them and others at risk.

“Our new fitness-to-drive assessment is the first reliable and valid test that incorporates real on-road footage and gives the person a ‘behind-the-wheel’ driver’s perspective.

“We hope this project will reduce traffic crashes, driving-related referrals and associated costs for health professionals, such as neurologists, geriatricians, and occupational therapy driving specialists.”

The video-based fitness-to-drive assessment is based on the hazard perception test,

which was used as part of the Queensland Government’s driver licencing system and was developed by UQ’s Professor Mark Horswill and Dr Andrew Hill, who are also involved in this project.

Limestone Medical Centre Partner and UQ Faculty of Medicine’s Emeritus Professor Geoff Mitchell said the assessment tool would be hugely beneficial for GPs when they assess people living with dementia.

“Current office assessments conducted by GPs are fraught with risk, but the fitness-todrive tool will mean GPs won’t have to rely on paper and pencil tests that have no association with on-road driving ability,” Emeritus Professor Mitchell said.

“Currently the tools available are blunt instruments, and GPs heavily rely on memory tests and opinions of loved ones.

“To have a tool that is practical, accepted, and reliable will be welcomed by all GPs who look after people with dementia.

“It will also help reduce the risk of fractured relationships with patients when refusal to grant a licence occurs or GPs have to refer the person for further testing.”

Awarded $1.3 million under the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund, the ‘Navigating Fitness to Drive with Patients with Dementia’ project also involves UQ Professor Nancy Pachana and is expected to be available by 2025.

University of Queensland scientists tackle myrtle rust threat

University of Queensland scientists have developed an environmentally friendly RNA-based spray to help combat myrtle rust, which has wiped out many Australian plants.

Developed in collaboration with Department of Agriculture and Fisheries forest pathologists, the spray induces RNA interference (RNAi) – a natural way to shut down protein translation – which means it could stop the spread of myrtle rust through bushland, home gardens and nurseries.

PhD candidate Rebecca Degnan said in the decade myrtle rust had been in Australia it had become a huge problem, with more than 350 native hosts.

“Of those plants that have been screened, only three per cent were completely unable to be infected, and more than 40 species have been deemed conservation priorities because of damage from myrtle rust,” Ms Degnan said.

Molecular plant biologist Dr Anne Sawyer said the team wanted to find an alternative myrtle rust control to fungicides.

“Growers rely heavily on fungicides, but they come with a lot of problems such as being harmful to humans and beneficial organisms like bees and monarch butterflies as well as water contamination,” Dr Sawyer said.

“Pests and pathogens can also develop resistance to chemicals and consumers are becoming more aware of residues on their fruit and vegetables.

“We already knew that RNA interference works against other plant pests and pathogens, and our research found rusts are very amenable to this method when we sprayed the double-stranded RNA onto the plants.”

Dr Sawyer said the early results were very positive, and further research would test the spray in more uncontrolled conditions outside of the lab and glasshouse.

“Now that we’ve seen the proof of concept of RNAi in myrtle rust, there are a lot of possibilities for other rusts as well,” Dr Sawyer said.

“It’s really exciting, especially when you talk to people who have been working on myrtle rust for a long time and have seen the damage it can do.”

UQ scientists Rebecca Degnan, Anne Sawyer and Louise Shuey in the glasshouse.

Dr Theresa Scott and dementia advocate John Quinn discuss the online driver safety test.

Matchmaker (5)

Workers (9)

Lift (7)

Of sufficient quality (2,2,3)

Thinks deeply (9)

Edgar – Poe (5)

Weapon (3)

Body of water to the East of Italy (8,3)

Conspicuously oldfashioned thing (11)

Male sheep (3)

Follow in order (5)

Speed of pulse (5,4)

Avoiding contact with others (7)

Print process (7)

Complementary item (9)

Meditators (5)

Transparent (5)

Inflammation of the lung (9)

Empty; use up (5)

Voter (7)

Former German state (7)

Social exclusion (9)

Force out (5)

Bully (9)

Republic in Central America (9)

Track and field (9)

Flowing (9)

Shakespeare character (7)

Visuals (7)

Unmoved (5)

Sticky (5)

Rims (5)

HOROSCOPE by Tanya Obreza

Your year ahead

Powerhouse energies promote a sensationally successful year. Despite the pressures, you meet every challenge. In June, however, domesticity takes priority. Upside: use this family-orientated month to clinch real estate deals or spruce up the home. Another area that begs attention this year is your health. This means fewer rushed meals and more exercise. Disrespectful friends or colleagues suffer your wrath in August. You’ve no more patience for petulance and limping promises. Indeed, September’s challenge comes in sorting out your love-life. If you were hoping for stability, scandal is more likely.

ARIES

(Mar 21 - Apr 20)

Periods of high stress can make us feel like we’re losing it, as can being surrounded by people whose values are very different from our own. For most Arians, the key to survival in a week like this would be to step back, take a deep breath and regain your composure. Only then should you decide what course of action to take.

Best Day: Tuesday 17th

TAURUS (Apr 21 - May 20)

This week, Taurean lives are up for a restructure - happily, in your favour. You should approach negotiations forcefully and with purpose. And now that you’ve finally decided to embark on that special journey or project - there’s no turning back. Someone in authority may also offer a helping hand. For many, it’s also a week of surprises.

Best Day: Sunday 15th

ARROW WORDS

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 23)

When on the attack, most Leos fire first and ask questions later. Sometimes, however, you can be too quick off the mark. This week check all facts before marching into battle - as someone could be planning an ambush. Unstable relationships may fall; but new romance looks set to flourish - great news if you’re back on the singles’ scene.

Best Day: Sunday 15th

LIBRA (Sep 23 - Oct 23)

Success could be yours for the taking, Libra, if you could only get over this debilitating fear of abandoning others. Shake off that old guilt trip and put your own needs first. In romance, too, you should throw off inhibitions and release repressed desires. Take control of your sexuality and rediscover “the sweetest taboo”.

Best Day: Wednesday 18th

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 - Dec 21)

Previously closed doors may now be thrown open, encouraging you to experiment. But don’t rush into action. Devote more time and energy to long-term possibilities as well as thinking about the immediate implications. Some Sagittarians will meet new people or have more contact with family. An impulsive love affair could also reawaken passions.

Best Day: Thursday 19th

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 20)

Capricorns focus on finances this week, giving you an opportunity to increase income. Start saving now and you’ll soon have plenty to spare for that proverbial rainy day. Jobs connected with finances or the media do particularly well. Ditto for those linked with health care. Romantically, many discover a hot new stamping ground.

Best Day: Friday 20th

AQUARIUS

(Jan 21 - Feb 18)

Early this week, you should live your life hand in hand with your inner guidance. Choose to listen to those soft and, sometimes, barely audible whispers. Slow down, and truly embrace these special messages. Often, it’s not so much the words but the hum of the vibration that heals mind, body and soul.

Best Day: Wednesday 18th

GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 21)

Never doubt your own worth, Gemini. Always know that confidence is a state of mind. If you can appear positive, then others will think the same way about you. Try to think outside of your insecurities and ignore those voices that want to put you down. If all else fails, fake it until you make it - you’ll be amazed at the outcome.

Best Day: Tuesday 17th

CANCER (Jun 22 - Jul 22)

Problems hint at bigger issues that no-one wants to discuss. While you’d rather not become involved, you may have no choice - mostly because others’ worries are not as trivial as you thought. They’ve been downplaying it, so as not to worry you. Be helpful, but skip the martyrdom. The best lesson you can teach others right now is independence.

Best Day: Monday 16th

VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 22)

If tensions or delays are getting you down, distancing yourself won’t make things any bettereven if it is the easy option. If nothing seems to be going right, ask yourself whether you’ve become too inflexible. Admit it, Virgo - you can be stubborn. All that’s needed to get your life back on track is a little cooperation and mutual understanding.

Best Day: Friday 20th

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22)

You’ve been patient long enough, Scorpio. Others have had all the time in the world to resolve their issues. Problem is, they continue to rely on your help - whether you like it or not. If possible, break away for a while and get on with your own affairs. At work, your intuition should save you from difficult circumstances.

Best Day: Saturday 21st

SOLUTION

PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20)

You need closure which, under normal circumstances, may cause some stress - but now feels welcoming. Maybe it’s because you’re more forgiving. Maybe it’s because others are forgiving you, or are sincerely sorry. Whatever the case, happiness is on the increase which, in turn, can’t help but spill over into love and friendship.

Best Day: Saturday 21st

Spellbinding legacy

With her first lead role as Rowan Mayfair in upcoming AMC+ supernatural series AnneRice’sMayfairWitches, Alexandra Daddario tells Siobhan Duck about the pressure of bringing a beloved book heroine to life

ALEXANDRA Daddario jokes she could write an essay on what it’s like to be the so-called “sexy girl” in Hollywood.

“I think it’s a really easy thing to say: ‘Oh, well, she’s pretty, that’s why she gets work’,” she shrugs.

“So, it’s a double-edged sword, I guess, but I never let it get me down or be like: ‘Oh, people don’t take me seriously because of XYZ.’

“I never really looked at it that way because it’s helped me to be seen as sexy. I did Baywatch [the 2017 movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron]. And I certainly leaned into it at certain times, so I can’t fault anyone for seeing me that way.

“But then it also has given me the opportunity to prove that I can do other things.”

Throughout her career, Daddario has made a habit of skewering the stereotype of the sexy character. Baywatchparodied the 1990s series known for being about beautiful people in bathers. In WhyWomen Kill, she played the ‘other woman’ in a marriage, who is underestimated because of her appearance. And in TheGirlfriendExperience, she was a high-end escort with a dark past.

She credits WhiteLotus however, with allowing people to finally see her as more than just a pretty face.

In the first season of the runaway hit series, Daddario played a lonely newlywed who realises she’s married to a spoiled mummy’s boy whilst honeymooning at a luxury resort in Hawaii. Her performance saw her nominated for her first Emmy Award.

“It’s been interesting I’ve had a career where there’s obviously a lot of ups and downs, and it’s easy to paint yourself in a corner or be seen a certain way,” she reflects.

“I’m really grateful to [WhiteLotus creator] Mike [White]. I’m grateful to anyone who gives me a job, but I think it just happened to be the perfect storm. It allowed people to see me in a different way.”

WhiteLotushas also opened doors for Daddario who, after 20 years in the industry, now finds herself in the leading role of new AMC+ drama, MayfairWitches

“I actually had never done a lead in a series before,” she says.

“I was certainly looking for that [opportunity]. And then I when I was reading the script and learning about Anne Rice [author of the books upon which the show is based], I realised I had missed Anne Rice when I was reading and growing up, even though I was a huge reader.

“So, I had this incredible opportunity to dive into who this woman [Rice] was, and why she tells

these stories and really get to dive into something that’s a really deep metaphor for so many other things.”

Rice is perhaps best known for InterviewwiththeVampire, which she wrote while grieving the death of her daughter. The book –and in particular its lead character Lestat – has subsequently found a huge cult following. So ardent are its fans that the casting of Tom Cruise as the sexy and manipulative vampire in the 1994 film caused a huge controversy at the time.

More recently, the book was adapted into a TV series, this time starring Australia’s own Sam Reid as Lestat and with decidedly more acceptance from both fans and Rice herself.

“There are people who love this book [LivesoftheMayfairWitches] too and it was a huge-selling book

and people know the text but InterviewwithaVampire– obviously because of the movie and because of that book – people really know that book,” she says.

“So, in a way, it’s both less pressure and more pressure [to star as one of Rice’s lesser-known characters].

heiress to a dynasty of witches haunted by an evil spirit.

“She’s a girl going through a huge transition,” Daddario says of Rowan.

“She’s grieving. She’s going through these incredibly hard times. And yes, there’s magic and she’s thrust into an unrealistic situation, but in a lot of ways it’s relatable,

“I actually don’t watch Real Housewives, but everyone I know does,” she laughs.

“They were all like [impressed that I was working with him, saying:] ‘Harry Hamlin, are you kidding?’

“Harry is an amazing man and an incredible actor and he’s wonderful in this series.”

Hamlin plays Rowan’s uncle, the creepy and impeccably groomed patriarch of the Mayfair family.

While MayfairWitchesis about the supernatural world, at its heart is a story about a dysfunctional family, which Daddario believes, makes it relatable for everyone.

“You have less pressure with people just knowing about it and having expectations, but then you also have the pressure of bringing it for the first time to a lot of people so it’s an interesting challenge.”

In MayfairWitches, Daddario plays Rowan Fielding; a talented neurosurgeon who begins to suspect she has supernatural powers. Upon the death of her adoptive mother, Rowan goes in search of her biological family, where she discovers she is the

because we all go through very difficult transitional times.”

Joining Daddario in the cast is Annabeth Gish (TheWestWing), Jack Huston (BoardwalkEmpire) and Harry Hamlin (MadMen).

Aside from his acting work, Hamlin is also known for his guest appearances on his wife Lisa Rinna’s reality TV show, TheReal HousewivesofBeverlyHills, where the former sex symbol has revealed himself to be a slightly eccentric gardener and home cook.

“We all have some sort of dysfunction,” she says.

“Very rarely do I meet people for whom family is all a [perfect and happy] dream.

“But to have this really dysfunctional family – with all of the jealousy, anger, coldness and the things that are left unsaid and dishonesty – and then add magic to it, how scary is that?”

One of the family: Alexandra Daddario, main, stars in Mayfair Witchesalongside Jack Huston, Harry Hamlin and Beth Grant, inset.

Movie Guide

Nine, Friday, 8.30pm, M (2012)

Tom Cruise (pictured) plays author Lee Child’s titular copturned-drifter who joins the investigation when a former army sniper takes the rap for gunning down five innocent people. But as defence lawyer Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike) quickly discovers, Reacher may prove to be more trouble than he’s worth. Directed and adapted from the ninth Reacher novel OneShot, the first movie outing for Child’s vigilante secured Cruise’s status as a 50-something action hero. HHHH

7Flix, Friday, 8.30pm, M (2018)

Head back to the 1940s with this nostalgic adaptation of Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’ best-selling novel. Lily James (pictured) plays author Juliet Ashton, who discovers a unique book club, formed during the island of Guernsey’s Nazi occupation when four friends were stopped for breaching curfew and had to think on their feet. Inspiration strikes for Juliet, and before long she visits the island. HHHH

PICK OF THE WEEK

Saturday

DUMBO Seven, 7.30pm, PG (2019)

You wouldn’t know from looking at it, but famously spooky director Tim Burton is behind this live-action and CGI adaptation of Disney’s animated classic. The newborn elephant with the oversized ears is without his mentor Timothy Q. Mouse, instead guided by through life in Max Medici’s (Danny DeVito) circus by former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children (Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins). When they learn Dumbo can fly, the peculiar pachyderm soars to new heights but attracts the attention of entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton). Eva Green also stars as aerial artist Colette. With bold, bright visuals and a star-studded cast, Dumbois an entertaining, if decidedly un-Burtonesque experience. HHHH

10 Shake, Saturday, 7.30pm, PG (2001)

In a role that fits her like a glove, Meg Ryan plays Kate, an unlucky-in-love New York advertising executive who discovers that well-groomed English gent Leopold (Hugh Jackman, pictured with Ryan) – who has been flung through time by her scientist ex (Liev Schreiber) – is the perfect salesman for her low-fat creamery butter campaign. The conclusion is rather trite, but thanks to Jackman’s performance, Kate&Leopoldprovides some thoroughly enjoyable screwball moments. HHHH

ALIEN: COVENANT

7mate, Sunday, 9.30pm, MA15+ (2017)

This sci-fi horror, the sixth instalment in the Alien franchise, is another solid entry from Ridley Scott (BladeRunner Gladiator RobinHood). When the crew of a colony ship diverts from their course to investigate a mysterious signal from a deserted planet, they encounter a deadly alien creature. Despite some questionable choices from the crew (including an excellent Michael Fassbender, pictured), the film has enough going for it to satisfy fans (as well as infuriate some others). HHHH

9Go!,

Monday, 8.30pm, MA15+ (1994)

A jolting, powerhouse of a movie, backed with a stellar cast, pumping soundtrack, masterful direction and a bulletproof, genre-defying script that repays repeat viewings. Quentin Tarantino’s ultra-hip exercise in pop moviemaking centres on the crossed paths of two dim-witted hitmen (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), a double-crossing prizefighter on the run (Bruce Willis) and a mob boss and his substance-addicted wife (Ving Rhames and Uma Thurman, pictured). HHHHH

SUPER 8

9Go!, Tuesday, 7.30pm, M (2011)

Set in 1979, Super8brims with nostalgia as director J.J. Abrams takes his cues from the work of Steven Spielberg. The story follows a group of kids (including Elle Fanning, pictured, Joel Courtney and AJ Michalka) after they witness a train crash while trying to make their own zombie film, but something more serious is afoot as the military descends on the town to keep control. The kids are the real heart of this film and the adventure seen through their eyes is a nice change of pace. HHHH

JACK REACHER

THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY

KATE & LEOPOLD

PULP FICTION

In on the act: Colin Farrell, Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins star in Dumbo

McENROE

Nine, Sunday, 8pm

The Australian tennis event of the year, the Australian Open, is set to capture the nation’s attention from tomorrow, and this gripping documentary is the perfect apéritif before the oncourt action. As the original bad boy of the sport, controversial American player John McEnroe (pictured) enthralled with his finesse, but divided fans with his epic outbursts and explosive temper. In this moody and insightful exploration, director Barney Douglas reveals an entirely different side to McEnroe as the champion player offers frank and remarkable insights. Also featuring his wife, Patty Smyth, it’s the foul-mouthed, curly haired tennis star as you’ve never seen him before.

Friday, January 13

ABC TV (2)

6.00 News. 9.00 News. 10.00 Searching For Superhuman. (PG, R) 11.05 Australia Remastered. (R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Les Misérables. (Mv, R) 2.00 London

Zoo: An Extraordinary Year. (R) 2.45 Back Roads. (R) 3.15 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.15 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.00 Australian Story. (R) 5.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)

5.55 Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds. (R)

SBS (3)

6.00 WorldWatch. 8.00 DD India Prime Time News. 9.00 Peer To Peer. (PG) 10.00 25 Tracks. 11.05 Great Canal Journeys. (R) 12.00 BBC News At Ten. 12.30 ABC World News Tonight With David Muir. 1.00 PBS NewsHour. 2.00 The World’s Greatest Palaces. (PGa, R) 2.55 Great Asian Railway Journeys. (PG, R) 4.05 Jeopardy! 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 11. Highlights.

BEST OF BRITAIN WITH AINSLEY AND GRACE SBS Food, Tuesday, 8.30pm

The world – well, the coast of Britain – is chefs Ainsley Harriott and Grace Dent’s oyster in this fresh, seaside series. The intrepid foodies with a taste for fun check out some of the most beautiful holiday spots along with their delicious fare, with Devon on tonight’s itinerary. It’s no wonder the duo can’t stop smiling; not long into the episode, they get to devour hand-dived scallops. They also admire a hotel on its very own island and tuck into mushy pea fritters in an idyllic spot on the Exe estuary. Animal lovers rest assured: when Ainsley and Grace meet a family of otters they befriend them, rather than eat them. It’s hungry-making and heartwarming fare.

SEVEN (7)

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 11.30 Seven Morning News. 12.00 MOVIE: Kissin’ Cousins. (1964, G, R) 2.00 Australia’s Deadliest. (R) 2.30 Beach Cops. (R) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. (R)

FBI: INTERNATIONAL 10, Saturday, 8.30pm

United States. In tonight’s first

“Secrets As Weapons”, the

investigates when a billionaire’s

wallet is hijacked en

to a safety vault in Switzerland.

“American Optimism”,

UNDER COVER

The statistics are devastating: women over 55 are the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia, with more than 250,000 women at risk of homelessness. This emotional documentary from director Sue Thomson (TheComing BackOutBallMovie) reveals the faces behind these alarming numbers. Narrated by homegrown Hollywood star Margot Robbie, it’s a compelling, heartbreaking insight into the often secret lives of a diverse group of 10 Australian women, including Cheryl and Linda (both pictured). Shattering myths and misconceptions of homelessness, it opens viewers’ eyes to life’s complications and how society has let these women down.

TEN (5, 1) NINE (8, 9)

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra Summer. (PG) 11.30 Morning News. 12.00 MOVIE: Charm Of Love. (2020, PGa, R) 1.50 Garden Gurus Moments. (R) 2.00 Pointless. (PG, R) 3.00 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 4.00 Afternoon News. 4.30 Millionaire Hot Seat. (R) 5.30 WIN News.

6.00 The Talk. (PGa) 7.00 Farm To Fork. (PG, R) 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 8.30 Ent. Tonight. (R) 9.00 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 9.30 The Bold And The Beautiful. (PG, R) 10.00 Studio 10. (PG) 12.00 10 News First: Midday. 1.00 Dr Phil. (PG, R) 2.00 Jamie’s Ultimate Veg. (R) 3.00 Entertainment Tonight. 3.30 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 The Bold And The Beautiful. (PG) 5.00 10 News First.

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.

A Grand Royal Design. An inside look at the restoration of Dumfries House, a rundown estate in one of the most deprived parts of the UK. 8.25 Endeavour. (Mav, R) Part 1 of 3. Endeavour plays bodyguard to a soccer star who has been threatened by the IRA. 9.55 Miniseries: The Accident. (Mals, R) Part 2 of 4. 10.45 ABC Late News. Detailed coverage of the day’s events. 11.00 Miniseries: Us. (Ml, R) Part 3 of 4. 12.00 Unforgotten. (Mal, R) 12.50 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.35 Engineering Reborn: 747 Jumbo Jet, Marcel Hotel, National Gallery Of Singapore. (PG) A look at a project involving an old 747. 8.30 Inside Central Station: 3801 Launch. (PGal, R) Goes behind the scenes of Sydney Train’s ongoing battle against graffiti. 9.25 How To Build A Nuclear Power Station. (R) Part 1 of 2. 10.35 SBS World News Late. 11.05 Gomorrah. (Malv, R) 1.50 The Kimberley Cruise: The Full Journey. (a, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven Local News. 6.30 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. Johanna Griggs catches up with Aimee Stanton. 8.30 MOVIE: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King. (2003, Mv, R) As the quest nears its end, the free races of Middle Earth struggle to unite to battle the armies of Sauron. Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin. 12.30 The Good Doctor. (Mas, R) 1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 5.00 NBC Today.

6.30 The Project. Special guest is Cosentino. 7.30 The Graham Norton Show. (R) Guests include Jamie Dornan. 9.30 Just For Laughs Australia. (Mls, R) Stand-up comedy performances from Harley Breen, Cassie Workman and Bev Killick. 10.00 Just For Laughs Uncut. (MA15+ls, R) Hosted by Nikki Osborne. 10.30 Steph Tisdell: Identity Steft. (MA15+l, R) 11.30 The Project. (R) 12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Infomercials. (PG, R) N ITV (34)

Merv

Home Shopping. 5.00 Pokémon Journeys. 5.30 Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens.

QLD

and

protect the

episode,

team

cryptocurrency

route

Then, in

the crew look into the murky case of a US citizen in hot water in Madrid. He’s proclaiming his innocence after seeking sanctuary at the US embassy while still covered in the blood of his murdered Spanish boyfriend. Stars Luke Kleintank (pictured) and Heida Reed.

ABC TV, Monday, 8.30pm

PICK OF THE WEEK

Saturday, January 14

ABC TV (2)

6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 Weekend Breakfast.

9.00 Rage. (PG)

12.00 ABC News At Noon.

12.30 Endeavour. (Mav, R)

2.00 Midsomer Murders. (PG, R)

3.30 Death In Paradise. (PG, R)

4.30 Going Country. (PG, R) Part 1 of 2.

5.25 Australia’s Favourite Tree. (R) Part 1 of 2.

6.30 Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat. (Final, R) Nigella Lawson prepares mac ‘n’ cheese.

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.

7.30 Call The Midwife. (PGa) Trixie and Frances attend the cytology clinic.

8.30 Midsomer Murders. (Mv, R) Barnaby and Winter investigate the death of the founder of a club for recovering heart bypass patients the day after inducting a new member who was controversially acquitted of murder several years previously.

10.00 Unforgotten. (Malv, R) Sunny and Cassie discover a surprising connection.

10.50 A Life In Ten Pictures: Freddie Mercury. (Mln, R) A look at Freddie Mercury’s life.

11.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

SBS (3)

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Blue Water Safari. (PG) 10.00 Cook Up Bitesize. (R) 10.05

Love Your Garden. (R) 11.00 For The Love Of Dogs. (PG) 12.00 Surf Life Saving. IronMan and IronWoman Series. Round 3. 2.00 WorldWatch. 3.00 Figure Skating. ISU Grand Prix. NHK Trophy. Highlights. 4.00 Europe’s Greatest Train Journeys. (PG) 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 12. Highlights.

6.00 Great British Railway Journeys: Taunton To Salisbury Plain. (R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Chris Tarrant’s Extreme Railway Journeys: Last Train To Transylvania. (PGav, R) Part 1 of 4.

8.30 Legendary Castles: Neuschwanstein. (PGa, R) Part 1 of 2. Takes a look at the construction of two mountain-top castles, including Neuschwanstein.

9.30 Britain By Beach. (PG, R) Part 1 of 4.

10.25 Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman. (Mav, R)

11.15 MOVIE: The Keeper. (2018, Malv, R) David Kross.

1.25 The Chocolate Factory: Inside Cadbury Australia. (R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6am WorldWatch. 9.30 Shortland St. 11.00 The Movie Show. Noon

Dave Gorman: Terms And Conditions Apply. 12.55 Wellington Paranormal. 1.25 American Song Contest. 3.05 WorldWatch. 5.05 Mastermind Aust. 5.35 Dynamo: Revealed. 6.30 Adam Eats The 80s. 7.35 Impossible Engineering. 8.30 The Last Overland: Singapore To London. 9.30 Aircraft Crash Experts. 10.30 High Society. 11.30 Late Programs.

SEVEN (7)

6.00 NBC Today.

7.00 Weekend Sunrise.

10.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) The latest news and views. 11.00 Horse Racing. Gold Coast Magic Millions Raceday.

5.30 Creek To Coast. (R) Scott Hillier heads to a campsite near Warwick.

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R) A backpack catches the attention of officers.

7.30 MOVIE: Dumbo. (2019, PGa) A young elephant living in a rundown circus run by a mean-spirited ring master discovers he can use his giant ears to fly. Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito.

9.50 MOVIE: The Long Kiss Goodnight. (1996, MA15+v, R) A suburban housewife suffering amnesia begins to suspect she may have been a secret agent. Geena Davis, Samuel L Jackson.

12.20 The Good Doctor. (PGa, R) Shaun visits his father on his deathbed.

1.20 Travel Oz. (PG, R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Get Clever. (R) 4.30 Get Arty. (R)

5.00 My Greek Odyssey. (PG, R)

6am Shopping. 8.30 Travel Oz. 9.00 Winners. 10.00 Creek To Coast. 10.30 Weekender. 11.00 Weekender. 11.30 Better Homes. 12.30pm Australia’s Big Backyards. 1.30 Escape To The Country. 2.30 Bargain Hunt. 3.30 Escape To The Country. 5.30 Border Security: Int. 6.30 The Yorkshire Vet. 8.30 Escape To The Country. 9.30 Escape To The Perfect Town. 10.30 Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages. 11.30 Late Programs.

6.00 Drive TV. (R) 6.30 A Current Affair. (R) 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Today

Extra Summer. (PG) 12.00 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo. (PG, R) 1.00 Explore. (R) 1.10 MOVIE: Mr Holland’s Opus. (1995, PGl, R) Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas. 4.00 Bondi Vet. (PGm) 5.00 News: First At Five. 5.30 Country House Hunters Australia. (R)

6.00 Nine News Saturday.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 MOVIE: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Fabulous. (2005, Mv, R) Against orders, an FBI agent goes undercover to rescue Miss USA and the pageant MC after they are kidnapped. Sandra Bullock, Regina King.

9.50 MOVIE: Two Weeks Notice. (2002, PGsl, R) A lawyer decides she has had enough of her troublesome boss and quits her job. Hugh Grant, Sandra Bullock.

11.50 MOVIE: Unsane. (2018, MA15+av) Claire Foy.

1.35 Outdoors Indoors.

2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PGa)

2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.30 Global Shop. (R)

5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

5.30 Helping Hands. (PG)

6am Morning Programs. 8.30 TV Shop. 10.00 My Favorite Martian. 10.30 Seaway. 11.30 MOVIE: Sea Devils. (1953) 1.30pm Tennis. Adelaide International. Tournament 2. Day

6. Twilight session. Men’s and women’s finals. 5.00 Tennis. Adelaide International. Tournament 2. Day 6. Twilight session. Men’s and women’s finals. 8.00

MOVIE: Monster-In-Law. (2005, M) 10.00 New Amsterdam. 11.00 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Escape Fishing. (R) 8.00 Exploring Off The Grid. (PGl, R)

8.30 What’s Up Down Under. (PG, R) 9.00

Everyday Gourmet. (R) 9.30 GCBC. (R) 10.00 St10. (PG) 12.00 Cook It With Luke. (R) 12.30

Well Traveller. (PGa, R) 1.00 Offroad Adv. (R) 2.00 All 4 Adventure. (PGl, R) 3.00 4x4 Adventures. (R) 4.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 4.30 Taste Of Aust. (R) 5.00 News.

6.00 Bondi Rescue. (PG, R) A man is reported to have fallen from cliffs.

6.30 Jamie Oliver: Together. Jamie Oliver prepares a feast.

7.30 NCIS: Los Angeles. (Mv) After an architect duo are kidnapped, the NCIS team mounts a search to bring them home.

8.30 FBI: International. (Mv)

The International Fly Team investigates when the hijacking of a billionaire’s cryptocurrency wallets en route to a safety vault in Switzerland leaves the escort, an American, shot dead in the Alps.

10.30 NCIS: Hawai’i. (Mav, R) Commander Chase is abducted.

11.30 NCIS. (Mv, R) NCIS investigates the death of a Navy reservist.

1.30 Home Shopping. (R)

3.30 Infomercials. (PG)

4.00 Home Shopping. (R)

5.00 Hour Of Power.

6am The Late Show

With Stephen Colbert. 7.00 The King Of Queens. 8.00 Frasier. 9.00 Becker. 10.00 Friends. Noon

The King Of Queens. 1.00 To Be Advised. 6.00

The Big Bang Theory. 10.15 Friends. 12.15am Home Shopping. 1.15 Infomercials. 1.45 The Late Show

With Stephen Colbert. 2.40 Charmed. 3.35 Nancy Drew. 4.30 Home Shopping.

NITV (34)

6am Morning Programs. 12.55pm Sing About This Country. 2.55 Milpirri: Winds Of Change. 3.55 My Survival As An Aboriginal. 4.50 Intune 08: The Flood Concert. 5.50 Going Native. 6.20 Kriol Kitchen. 6.50 News. 7.00 Family Rules. 7.30 The Beaver Whisperers. 8.30 MOVIE: The Fourth Kind. (2009, M) 10.10 Songlines On Screen. 10.30 NITV On The Road: Best Of Barunga. Midnight Late Programs.

6am Ernest & Celestine. Continued. (2012, PG) 6.40 The Last Wave. (1977, PG) 8.40 Little Nicolas. (2009, PG, French) 10.20 The English Patient. (1996) 1.20pm Joshy. (2016, M) 3.00 Love And Friendship. (2016, PG) 4.40 The Finishers. (2013, PG, French) 6.20 What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. (1993, PG) 8.30 You Were Never Really Here. (2017) 10.10 A Dangerous Method. (2011, MA15+) 12.05am Late Programs.

Sunday, January 15

ABC TV (2) SBS (3)

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Offsiders: Summer Series. 10.30 The World In 2022. (R) 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline: Summer Series. (R) 1.00 Movin’ To The Country. (R) 1.30 Monty Don’s American Gardens. (R) 2.30 Call The Midwife. (PGa, R) 3.30 Victoria. (PG, R) 4.20 Grand Designs: House Of The Year. (R) 5.05 A Grand Royal Design. (R)

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R) 11.00 For The Love Of Dogs: India. (Premiere) 12.00 Surf Life Saving. IronMan and IronWoman Series. Round 4. 2.00 WorldWatch. 3.00 Figure Skating. ISU Grand Prix. Round 6. Grand Prix of Espoo. Highlights. 4.00 Cycling. Road National Championships. Highlights. 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Stage 13. Highlights.

7MATE (74)

6am Morning Programs. 1pm Blokesworld. 1.30 Australia ReDiscovered. 2.00 Motor Racing. Night Thunder. Boxing Day. H’lights. 3.00 Rides Down Under: Workshop Wars. 4.00 American Pickers. 5.00 Leepu And Pitbull. 6.00 Last Car Garage. 6.30 Secrets Of The Supercars. 7.30 Air Crash Investigation. 9.30 Mighty Trains. 10.30 Mighty Ships. 11.30 Late Programs.

6am Children’s Programs. 1pm MOVIE: Barbie And Chelsea The Lost Birthday. (2021) 2.15 Children’s Programs. 2.30 MOVIE: Despicable Me. (2010, PG) 4.15 About A Boy. 4.45 MOVIE: Dune. (1984, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Troy. (2004, M) 10.45 MOVIE: 300: Rise Of An Empire. (2014, MA15+) 12.40am Manifest. 2.30 Raymond. 3.00 Power Rangers Dino Charge. 3.30 Beyblade Burst Surge. 4.00 Late Programs.

6am Morning Programs. 10.00 4x4 Adventures. 11.00 All 4 Adventure. Noon I Fish. 12.30 Exploring Off The Grid. 1.00 ST: Next Gen. 2.00 Waltzing Jimeoin. 2.30 Escape Fishing. 3.00 The Love Boat. 4.00 Offroad Adv. 5.00 Reel Action. 5.30 I Fish. 6.00 Soccer. A-League Men. Matchweek 12. Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory. 9.15 JAG. 10.15 MacGyver. 11.10 Late Programs.

SEVEN (7)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show Summer Series. (PG) 12.00 Border Security: International. (PG, R) 12.30 Cricket. Big Bash League. Game 42. Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder. 4.00 Better Homes And Gardens. (R) 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Weekender.

6.00 Drive TV. (R) 6.30 A Current Affair. (R) 7.00 Weekend Today. 10.00 Surfing Australia TV. (PGl) 10.30 Take Me Home. (PG, R) 11.30 Arctic Vets. (PG, R) 12.00 Great Barrier Reef: A Living Treasure. (PG, R) 1.00 MOVIE: HouseSitter. (1992, PGls, R) Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin. 3.00 Great Getaways. (PG, R) 4.00 Bondi Vet. (PGm, R) 5.00 News: First At Five. 5.30 Territory Cops. (PGdl, R)

6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Tomorrow’s World. (PGa, R) 8.00 Luca’s Key Ingredient. (R) 8.30 Freshly Picked. (R) 9.00 Destination Dessert. 9.30 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 10.00 St10. (PG) 12.00 The Bachelors Aust. (PGals, R) 1.40 My Market Kitchen. (R) 2.00 Waltzing Jimeoin. (PGal, R) 2.30 Exploring Off The Grid. 3.00 4x4 Adventures. 4.00 All 4 Adventure. 5.00 News.

6.30

6.00 Antiques Roadshow. (PG, R) Hosted by Fiona Bruce.

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.

A blind actor

a murder. 8.30 Vera.

DCI Vera

and the team investigate the

of an

10.00

embroiled

10.50

Cranky questions

11.45 Black Comedy.

1.10 Les Misérables.

2.10 Victoria. (PG, R) 3.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Classic Countdown. (PG, R) 5.00 Think Tank. (R) 6.00 Great British Railway Journeys: Canterbury To Alexandra Palace. (PG, R) 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Military Strongholds: Megastructures Of Genius. Explores the construction of fortresses. 8.30 Nazca Desert Mystery. Takes a look at the Nazca Lines and at recent discoveries that offer new clues to its origins. 9.30 Pompeii: Sin City. (Mansv, R) Narrated by Isabella Rossellini. 11.00 Serena Vs The Umpire. (Mal, R)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Game 43. Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers. 10.00 7NEWS Spotlight. (R) Takes a look at the disappearance of Sydney businesswoman and alleged conwoman Melissa Caddick. 11.00 World’s Most Shocking Emergency Calls. (MA15+av, R) Documents shocking emergency calls. 12.00 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women’s. Stage 1. Highlights. 1.00 World’s Deadliest: Against The Odds. (Mal, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Seven Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

5.30

7.30

8.40

9.40

12.30 The Sunday Project. (R) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

Monday, January 16

ABC TV (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News

Mornings. 10.00 Muster Dogs. (PG, R) 11.00

Antiques Roadshow. (PG, R) 12.00 ABC News

At Noon. 1.00 Vera. (Mad, R) 2.40 Back Roads. (R) 3.10 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.10 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 4.55 Australian Story. (R) 5.25 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)

5.55 Old People’s Home For Teenagers. (R) Part 1 of 5.

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.

7.30 7.30. Presented by Laura Tingle.

8.00 Back Roads: Marrawah, Tasmania. (PG) Hosted by Paul West.

8.30 Under Cover. (PG) Explores how women over 50 are the fastest growing cohort experiencing homelessness in Australia.

9.30 A Life In Ten Pictures: Amy Winehouse. (Madl, R) Takes a look at the life of Amy Winehouse through a handful of iconic shots and private snaps.

10.25 Our Brain: Recharged. (PG, R)

11.20 ABC Late News.

11.40 Midsomer Murders. (Mv, R)

1.10 The Trouble With Maggie Cole. (Ma, R)

1.55 Black Comedy. (Ml, R)

2.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 One Plus

One. (R) 4.30 Think Tank. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

SBS (3)

6.00 Morning Programs. 9.15 Peer To Peer. (PG) 10.15 Beyond The Beaten Path. (Premiere) 11.10 Great Canal Journeys. (PG, R) 12.05 WorldWatch. 2.00 Cook Up Bitesize. (R) 2.05 The World’s Greatest Palaces. (PGav, R) 2.55 Great Asian Railway Journeys. (PG, R) 4.05 Jeopardy! 4.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 5.00 Motor Racing. Dakar Rally. Final stage. Highlights.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) Presented by Marc Fennell.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Michael Mosley’s Health Intervention. (PGa, R) Part 3 of 3.

8.30 Heritage Rescue: Kelmscott Manor. (PG) Part 3 of 5. Nick Knowles heads to the Cotswolds to see the restoration of Kelmscott Manor.

9.30 Secrets Of Playboy: The Circus. (MA15+) After decades of silence, Hugh Hefner’s former number one girlfriend Sondra Theodore shares her story.

10.20 SBS World News Late.

10.50 Reunions. (Mal, R) Jeremy and Chloe finalise wedding plans.

11.50 We Are Who We Are. (MA15+ls, R)

4.20 Destination Flavour China. (R)

4.50 Destination Flavour: Japan Bitesize. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30

ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6am

SEVEN (7)

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 11.30 Seven Morning News. 12.00 MOVIE: Viva Las Vegas. (1964, G, R) 2.00 Australia’s Deadliest. (PG, R) 2.30 Beach Cops. (PG, R) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. (R)

6.00 Seven Local News.

6.30 Seven News.

7.00 Home And Away. (PGav) 7.30 Cricket. Big Bash League. Game 44. Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat.

10.00 The Spin. Takes a look into the world of cricket.

10.30 Motorway Patrol. (PGl) A commuter wrecks a safety barrier. 11.00 Highway Cops. (PG) Follows people who help keep motorists safe.

11.30 Unbelievable Moments Caught On Camera. (PGa) Footage of headline-grabbing moments.

12.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Women’s. Stage 2. Highlights.

1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Seven Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6am Morning Programs. 8.30 Million Dollar Minute. 9.30 Weekender. 10.00 Cricket. Women’s One Day International Series. Australia v Pakistan. Game 1. Morning session. 1.30pm Cricket. Women’s One Day International Series. Australia v Pakistan. Game 1. Afternoon session. 5.00 Medical Emergency. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Doc Martin. 8.30 Inspector Morse. 10.50 Late Programs.

6.00 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.

9.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. (Premiere) Reviews, previews, interviews, highlights and opinions from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. 10.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 1.

6.00 Nine News.

7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 1.

11.00 New Amsterdam. (Mamv, R) The staff tries to sustain the optimism that Max brought to the hospital with his “how can I help?” motto.

12.00 Family Law. (Mal, R) A woman returns to her father’s firm.

1.00 Destination Australia: Far North Queensland. (R) Presented by Scherri-Lee Biggs.

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

2.30 Global Shop. (R) Home shopping.

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa) Religious program.

4.30 Bondi Lifeguard World Adventures: Road Boss Rally Pt 1. (PG, R)

5.00 News Early Edition.

5.30 Today.

6.00 The Talk. (PGa) 7.00 Farm To Fork. (PG, R) 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 8.30 Ent. Tonight. (R) 9.00 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 9.30 Bold. (PG, R) 10.00 Studio 10. (PG) 12.00 10 News First: Midday. 1.00 Dr Phil. (PGa, R) 2.00 The Bachelors Aust. (PGl, R) 3.10 Ent. Tonight. 3.30 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

6.30 The Project. Special guest is Ella Hooper.

7.30 The Bachelors Australia. (PGl) Three bachelors, Felix Von Hofe, Thomas Malucelli and Jed McIntosh, search for love.

8.45 Ghosts. (PGad) When a TV documentary crew comes to Woodstone Mansion to shoot an episode of a popular show called DumbDeaths, Pete confronts a hard truth about the day he died.

9.15 FBI: Most Wanted. (MA15+v) The team investigates whether a shooting at a Buddhist temple was a hate crime or something more personal.

11.15 The Project. (R) Special guest is Ella Hooper.

12.15 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Late-night talk show. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

6am Friends. 8.00 The Big Bang Theory. 9.00 The Middle. 10.30 Friends. 12.30pm Two And A Half Men. 1.00 Charmed. 3.00 The King Of Queens. 4.00 Becker. 5.00 Frasier. 6.00 Friends. 8.00 The Big Bang Theory. 9.30 Seinfeld. 11.00 Frasier. Midnight Home Shopping. 12.30 Infomercials. 1.30 Becker. 2.30 The Late Late Show With James Corden. 3.30 The King Of Queens. 4.30 Home Shopping.

6am Home Shopping. 7.30 Infomercials. 8.00 Healthy Homes Australia. 8.30 Roads Less Travelled. 9.00 Escape Fishing With ET. 9.30 Reel Action. 10.00 JAG. Noon MacGyver. 1.00 Diagnosis Murder. 3.00 Bondi Rescue. 3.30 The Love Boat. 4.30 Star Trek: The Next Generation. 5.30 JAG. 6.30 Scorpion. 7.30 Bull. 8.30 NCIS. 10.20 In The Dark. 11.15 48 Hours. 12.15am Shopping. 2.15 Late Programs.

(R)

(PG, R)

Beach Cops. (PG, R) 7TWO (72) 6am Children’s Programs. 6.30pm Spicks And Specks. 7.30 Would I Lie To You? 8.30 The Trip To Greece. 9.00 Staged. 9.25 Bliss. 9.55 Fleabag. 10.20 QI. 10.50 Friday Night Dinner. 11.20 Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. 11.40 Black Comedy. 12.10am Penn & Teller: Fool Us. 12.50 Whose Line Is It Anyway? 1.15 ABC News Update. 1.20 Close. 5.05 Tik Tak. 5.10 Clangers. 5.20 Buddi. 5.25 Late Programs.

Melbourne 7MATE

The Chase. (R) ABC TV PLUS (22) 6am Children’s Programs. Noon Filthy House SOS. 1.00 Motor Racing. Formula E C’ship. Mexico City ePrix. H’lights. 2.00 Full House. 3.00 The Nanny. 3.30 3rd Rock. 4.00 That ’70s Show. 4.30 Raymond. 5.30 News. 6.00 Tennis. Austn Open. 7.00 Young Sheldon. 7.30 MOVIE: Super 8. (2011, M) 9.45 MOVIE: Abduction. (2011, M) 11.30 Young Sheldon. Midnight Dr 90210. 1.00 Late Programs.

Open. 6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Characters Of Broome. 2.00 Shortland St. 2.30 The Cook Up. 3.00 Jarjums. 3.55 Tales Of The Moana. 4.00 Jarjums. 5.00 Our Stories. 5.30 Indian Country Today News. 6.00 Bamay. 6.30 News. 6.35 Undiscovered Vistas. 7.30 Moko. 8.00 A Walk With Words. 8.35 The Last Land: Gespe’gewa’gi. 9.00 Hunting Aotearoa. 9.30 Atlanta. 10.45 Late

Programs.

The Chase Australia. (R) 6am The Orator. (2011, PG, Samoan) 8.05 The Sound Of Silence. (2019, PG) 9.40 Belle And Sebastian 3. (2017, PG, French) 11.20 Rurangi. (2020, M) 1pm Nadia, Butterfly. (2020, M) 3.00 The Movie Show. 3.30 A River Runs Through It. (1992, PG) 5.45 On A Clear Day. (2005, PG) 7.35 Wild Rose. (2018, M) 9.30 Out Of The Furnace. (2013, MA15+) 11.40 Late Programs.

Seven News At 4. 6am Morning Programs. 8.30 American Pickers. 10.30 Sound FX: Best Of. 11.00 NFL. NFL AFC Wild Card. 2pm Sound FX: Best Of. 3.00 Billy The Exterminator. 3.30 Scrap Kings. 4.30 Demolition NZ. 5.30 American Restoration. 6.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Game 45. Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers. 7.30 Outback Truckers. 9.30 Aussie Salvage Squad. 10.30 Truck Night In America. (Return) 11.30 Late Programs.

(Mdv, R) Gibbs and Fornell pursue the leader of a drug ring who supplied drugs to Fornell’s daughter.

NCIS team deals with a mystery close to home when a cadaver goes missing from the autopsy room. 11.00 The Project. (R) Special guests include Margot Robbie. 12.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Late-night talk show. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

(PG, NITV (34)

Wednesday, January 18

ABC TV (2)

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 ABC News Mornings. 10.00 Monty Don’s American Gardens. (R) 11.00 The Best Of Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Brian Cox: Life Of A Universe. (R) 1.50 Call The Midwife. (PG, R) 2.45 Back Roads. (R) 3.15 Gardening Australia. (R) 4.15 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.00 Australian Story. (R) 5.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)

6.00 Old People’s Home

For Teenagers. (R)

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at today’s top stories.

7.30 7.30. Presented by Laura Tingle.

8.00 QI. (PG, R) Hosted by Sandi Toksvig.

8.30 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) Music game show, featuring Christie Whelan Browne, Nath Valvo, Scott Darlow and Danielle Walker.

9.20 Utopia. (PG, R) Tony is asked to oversee the implementation of a new electronic ID card scheme.

9.50 Miniseries: Us. (Ml, R) Part 4 of 4.

10.50 ABC Late News.

11.05 Midsomer Murders. (Masv, R)

12.35 Top Of The Lake: China Girl. (Final, Malnsv, R)

1.35 Hive: Demonic. (Ma, R)

2.05 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 One Plus

One. (R) 4.30 Think Tank. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

SBS (3)

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Cook Up Bitesize. (R) 9.05 Peer To Peer. (PG) 10.05 Beyond The Beaten Path. 11.00 Great Canal Journeys. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 12.30 ABC World News Tonight With David Muir. 1.00 PBS NewsHour. 2.00 The World’s Greatest Palaces. (PGav, R) 2.50 Great Asian Railway Journeys. (R) 4.00 Who Do You Think You Are? (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

(R) Presented by Marc Fennell.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Britain’s Beautiful Rivers: Derwent. (R) Part 4 of 4.

8.30 Britain’s Secret Islands. (PG, R) Part 4 of 4. Along England’s South Coast, Stewart McPherson explores the battlements of Drake’s Island.

9.25 Tokyo Vice. (MA15+) After his tip leads to a busted raid, Jake feels the weight of Katagiri’s rejection.

10.25 SBS World News Late.

10.55 Dignity. (MA15+av)

11.50 The Night Manager. (Mv, R)

12.40 Shadow Lines. (Ma, R)

3.10 The Late Session. (PG, R) 4.05 Destination Flavour China. (PG, R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6am WorldWatch. 9.30 Shortland St. 11.00 The Movie Show. Noon Adam Ruins Everything. 1.15 Lee Lin Chin’s Fashionista. 1.25 Why Does Everyone Hate The English? 2.20 Life After People. 3.15 WorldWatch. 5.15 Takeshi’s Castle. 5.45 Joy Of Painting. 6.15 Forged In Fire. 7.05 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Bloody Decade. 9.25 MOVIE: Beverly Hills Cop. (1984) 11.25 Late Programs.

SEVEN (7)

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 11.30 Seven Morning News. 12.00 MOVIE: Harum Scarum. (1965, G, R) Elvis Presley, Mary Ann Mobley, Fran Jeffries. 2.00 Border Security: International. (PG, R) 2.30 Beach Cops. (PG, R) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. (R)

6.00 Seven Local News.

6.30 Seven News.

7.00 Home And Away. (PGav)

7.30 Cricket. Big Bash League. Game 46. Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes. From Optus Stadium, Perth.

10.30 Crime Investigation Australia: Hero To Hit Man – Lindsey Rose. (MA15+av, R) Takes a look at Lindsey Rose, one of Australia’s most infamous killers, who was convicted of five murders.

11.45 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Stage 1. Highlights.

12.45 World’s Deadliest: Expect The Unexpected. (Mal, R) Takes a look at unexpected situations, including how explorers got more than they bargain for.

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs.

5.00 Seven Early News.

5.30 Sunrise. News, sport and weather.

6am Home Shopping. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Our Town. 8.00 Home Shopping. 8.30 Million Dollar Minute. 9.30 Better Homes And Gardens. 10.30 Sydney Weekender. 11.00 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Stage 1. 3pm Bargain Hunt. 4.00 Surf Patrol. 4.30 Better Homes And Gardens. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 Lewis. 10.45 Frankie Drake. 11.45 Late Programs.

TEN (5, 1) NINE (8, 9)

6.00 Today. The latest in news and current affairs.

9.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Reviews, previews, interviews, highlights and opinions from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. 10.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 3.

6.00 Nine News.

7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 3.

11.00 New Amsterdam. (Mamv, R) Max resists an idea that could bring more revenue. Iggy pushes back on the new telemedicine system.

12.00 Family Law. (Mas, R) Abigail defends a gaming addict.

1.00 Destination Australia: Lord Howe Island. (PG, R) Presented by Trevor Cochrane and Diana Hills.

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

2.30 Global Shop. (R) Home shopping.

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa) Religious program.

4.30 Bondi Lifeguard World Adventures: Red Centre Adventure Pt 1. (PG, R) The boys head to Alice Springs.

5.00 News Early Edition.

5.30 Today.

6.00 The Talk. (PGa) 7.00 Farm To Fork. (PG, R) 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 8.30 Ent. Tonight. (R) 9.00 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 9.30 The Bold And The Beautiful. (R) 10.00 Studio 10. (PG) 12.00 10 News

First: Midday. 1.00 Dr Phil. (PGa, R) 2.00 The Bachelors Australia. (PGls, R) 3.30 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 The Bold And The Beautiful. (PGa) 5.00 10 News First.

6.30 The Project. Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton and Kate Langbroek take a look at the day’s news and hot topics.

7.30 The Bachelors Australia. (PGls) Three bachelors, Felix Von Hofe, Thomas Malucelli and Jed McIntosh, search for love.

8.45 Fire Country. (PGav) After Bode requests to be transferred to a different city, his future in Edgewater hangs in the balance. The crew joins forces to protect the town from fires created by a treacherous storm.

9.45 Bull. (PGa, R) Bull represents a client in federal court who has been accused of stealing critical disease research.

11.30 The Project. (R) Special guest is Sam Worthington.

12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Late-night talk show.

1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

4.15 Long

3.15

5.30 Hard

Of A

R) 2.45 Back

R) 5.00 Australian

R) 6.00

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R) Presented by Marc Fennell. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.35 World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys. (R) Highlights of luxury railway journeys. 8.30 Our Law. (M) As the cadets make big decisions, the force farewells one of its finest First Nations officers. 9.40 War Of The Worlds. (MA15+av) Catherine reaches out to Richard with vital information about the black hole. 10.35 SBS World News Late. 11.05 L’Opera. (Madls)

12.05

Miniseries: The Victim. (Mav, R)

4.25 Destination

Destination

NHK

Flavour China. (R) 4.55

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 11.30 Seven Morning News. 12.00 MOVIE: Speedway. (1968, PGs, R) 2.00 Border Security: International. (PG, R) 2.30 Beach Cops. (PG, R) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia. (R)

6.00

7.00

7.30

Arabic) 10.00 Kursk. (2018, M) 12.10pm The Skin Of Others. (2020, M) 2.00 On A Clear Day. (2005, PG) 3.50 The Band’s Visit. (2007, PG, Arabic) 5.25 55 Steps. (2017, PG) 7.30 Hilary And Jackie. (1998, M) 9.45 The Justice Of Bunny King. (2021) 11.40 Late Programs. 7MATE (74) SBS WORLD MOVIES (32) 6am Morning Programs. 2pm Shortland St.

9GEM (81, 92)

6am TV Shop: Home Shopping. 7.00 Creflo Dollar Ministries. 7.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 9.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. 10.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Day 3. 5pm Tennis. Australian Open. Night 3. 10.00 Major Crimes. 11.00 House. Midnight My Favorite Martian. 12.30 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. 1.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. 1.30 Take Two. 2.30 TV Shop. 4.30 Joyce Meyer. 5.00 TV Shop.

Raymond.

6am Shopping. 7.30 Infomercials. 8.00 Healthy Homes Australia. 8.30 Roads Less Travelled. 9.00 Escape Fishing With ET. 9.30 Reel Action. 10.00 The Love Boat. 11.00 Star Trek: The Next Generation. Noon MacGyver. 2.00 Diagnosis Murder. 3.00 Bondi Rescue. 3.30 The Love Boat. 4.30 Star Trek: The Next Generation. 5.30 JAG. 6.30 Scorpion. 7.30 Bull. 8.30 NCIS. 9.25 Hawaii Five-0. 11.15 Late Programs.

6.00 Nine News. 7.00 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 4. 11.00 New Amsterdam. (Mamv, R) Max journeys to Connecticut.

6.00 The Talk. (PGa) 7.00 Farm To Fork. (PG, R) 7.30 GCBC. (R) 8.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 8.30 Ent. Tonight. (R) 9.00 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 9.30 Bold. (PGa, R) 10.00 Studio 10. (PG) 12.00 10 News First: Midday. 1.00 Dr Phil. (PGa, R) 2.00 The Bachelors Aust. (PGls, R) 3.15 Ent. Tonight. 3.30 Judge Judy. (PG, R) 4.00 Farm To Fork. 4.30 Bold. (PG) 5.00 News.

The Project. A look at the day’s

Ambulance Australia. (Ma, R) A woman falls off a balcony while retrieving a cat.

Law & Order: SVU. (Mav) A group of teens terrorising tourists has the SVU squad working overtime when Chief McGrath teams them up with the Bronx gang unit to track down the perps. Rollins struggles on her return to work. 10.30 NCIS:

1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

With

9.00 The King Of

10

12) 6am The Late

8.00 Becker.

7.00 Friends.

On Demand

SECOND INNINGS

the test

Streaming, from Friday, Prime Video

It was only three weeks before last summer’s first Ashes Test that the Australian men’s cricket team lost its captain. Caught up in a sexting scandal, Tim Paine walked away from what many consider the most important job in Australia. Three months later, coach Justin Langer was also gone, and the Aussies were looking for new leadership.

“Tim Paine and Justin Langer come in and do a rescue mission for Australian cricket,” explains veteran cricket journalist Peter Lalor in the new season of fly-on-the-wall documentary TheTest

“They get it back on an even keel. And within 12 weeks, both of them are gone. Where does that leave Australian cricket?”

Enter Pat Cummins. New father. Fast bowler. The start of 2022 saw the national side in a state of transition under new captain Cummins, and Prime Video cameras were there to capture all the action.

As Australia aims to defend the Ashes on home soil, season two of TheTestmoves the focus away from the team as a whole, putting the players at the forefront – similar to the change in philosophy of the team itself.

It celebrates the individual achievements of players – Alex Carey grabbing a wicketkeeping record on debut, Travis Head scoring a century, and bowling great Nathan Lyon nabbing his 400th Test wicket.

TheTestprovides an insight into modern leadership, empowerment and how sporting legacies are made. – Kathryn Roberts

break point

Streaming, from Friday, Netflix

Tennis buffs have aced it with this doco series from the makers of Formula1:DrivetoSurvive. Filmed over the course of 2022, it’s an intimate, adrenaline-filled exposé that shines a spotlight is on the new stars of the sport, with the first two episodes focusing on Aussies Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Ajla Tomljanovic and Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.

am i being unreasonable

Streaming, SBS On Demand

British comedian Daisy May Cooper (pictured) follows up her knockout debut, ThisCountry, with this wild comedy-thriller. Written with her best friend Selin Hizli, who also co-stars, it follows mother-of-one Nic, whose depressing existence is jump-started by the arrival of a gin-toting new school mum. Dark and hilarious, expect paranoia, obsession and betrayal.

here we go Streaming, BritBox

Family dysfunction and life lockdown are plumbed in Tom Basden’s uproarious observational comedy starring Katherine Parkinson (TheITCrowd) and Jim Howick (SexEducation). Told through the comedic lens of teen Sam (Jack Christou) filming a doco on his calamity-prone family for school, the quirky situations are enchantingly side-splitting.

the last of us

Streaming, from Monday, Foxtel On Demand

This grand adaptation of the iconic, postapocalyptic video game is a 10-episode spectacle set to rival GameofThronesfor production values. Set 20 years after a worldwide brain virus, smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal, pictured, Narcos) must escort teen Ellie (Bella Ramsey) through a US quarantine zone in a dangerous, heartbreaking trek.

the subtle art of not giving a #@%!

Available for digital download

If you haven’t buried yourself in Mark Manson’s (pictured) hit self-help book – it sold 15 million copies – you’ll fall in love with him in this playful adaptation. The baby-faced author takes centre stage, with witty asides and emotive philosophical ruminations, in an inspiring performance. Featuring fruity language, it’s a fun-filled and surprising guide to happiness.

Put to the test: Travis Head celebrates a century in season two of cricket doco TheTest

countryk tchensrecipes

Dragon Fruit and Strawberry Tart

Serves: 12

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes + overnight chill time

½ serve per portion

Ingredients: Base

• 1 cup rolled oats

• ½ cup sultanas

• ½ cup macadamias

• ¼ cup seeds (pepitas or sunflower)

• 2 tablespoons margarine

Custard Filling

• ¼ cup cornflour

• 8 egg yolks

• ¼ cup sugar

• 3 cups low fat milk

• 2 teaspoons lemon rind

• ½ cup lemon juice

Dragon Fruit and Strawberry Topping

• 2 cup strawberries

• 1 pink dragon fruit

Method:

• PREHEAT oven to 180°C.

• ADD base ingredients to a food processor and blend until combined.

• PRESS oat mixture into the bottom of a loose base tart tin (approximately 20-25 cm).

• BAKE in oven for 15 minutes or until base is golden brown. Set aside.

• WHISK cornflour, eggs and sugar in a small bowl.

• HEAT milk in a saucepan over low heat until gently simmering. Turn heat down further.

• WHISK egg mixture into the milk slowly, making sure to constantly stir as the egg mix is added to prevent lumps forming. Continue stirring until custard has thickened.

• ADD lemon rind and juice to custard and stir to combine. Remove custard from heat.

• POUR custard mix into pan over the cooked base. Allow to cool slightly and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

• BLEND ½ of the dragon fruit and 1 cup of strawberries in a food processor until smooth.

• POUR fruit mix on top of the tart. Place in the fridge overnight to set.

• SERVE tart with remaining dragon fruit and strawberries, sliced or chopped.

What’s Great About It?

This zesty and colourful tart is the perfect health-a-sized sweet treat to showcase the versatility of dragon fruit. Instead of a whole tart, try making mini tartlets in a muffin pan. You can also switch up the custard filling by combining 500g low fat Greek yoghurt with ¼ cup honey and placing in a lined sieve for 4 hours. Once strained, spoon the mixture into the cooked tart base and top with the dragon fruit and strawberry topping. For extra artistic flare, try swirling the topping throughout the yoghurt and top with sliced fruit.

Recipe courtesy of the Country Kitchens 2023 Product of the Year Recipe Collection – Dragon Fruit

Green Bean Salad

Serves: 8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 - 10 minutes

1 serve per portion

Ingredients:

• 500g green beans, fresh or frozen

• ½ red onion, finely sliced

• 1 red or yellow capsicum, thinly sliced

• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

• 4 sprigs parsley or basil

• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

• ½ red chilli (optional)

Method:

• BRING a saucepan of water to the boil. Once boiled, add the green

beans and cook so they are still crunchy to bite and are bright in colour (about 5 minutes). Drain and cool the beans in the refrigerator.

• COMBINE the green beans, onion, capsicum, celery and the parsley or basil in a large bowl.

• STIR through the sweet chilli sauce, add the pepper and chilli to taste.

What’s Great About It?

Nothing beats crisp green beans next to a side of roast chicken or lamb.

As a source of fibre and folate, enjoy these beans topped with sesame seeds or chilli for extra flavour.

Empowering women through education and health is a priority for the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA). The QCWA Country Kitchens program, funded by the Queensland Government through Health and Wellbeing Queensland, supports Queenslanders to adopt healthier lifestyles. To

Recipe Courtesy of Meg Trimble, Freshwater Branch

RECENTLY-LISTED RURAL PROPERTIES

PROPERTY MATTERS

ERLE LEVEY

WITH Australian agricultural commodity prices in a strong position and farmland values riding high, it’s little wonder there is interest in properties in the Bundaberg region.

Philip Dowling at First National Childers has just listed a 30.78ha property with fourbedroom, two-bathroom house with granny flat at 180 Booyal-Dallarnil Rd, Dallarnil.

Listed at offers above $695,000, it is being used as a horse property at present - there is good soil with some improved pasture and divided into 13-14 paddocks.

Watered by a creek that is running and contains permanent water holes, there is a bore with windmill that pumps to tank then firefighter pumps to troughs.

There are two dams on the property, three 22,500-lire poly rainwater tanks and two 3000-litre poly tanks on garage.

The property brings the option of dual living. As well as the four-bedroom Colorbond house, there is a 9m by 6m granny flat with open-plan kitchenette, dining and lounge, bedroom and bathroom with shower, vanity and toilet.

The main house features a main bedroom with ensuite and walk-through robe, while the other bedrooms have built-in robes and large floor-to-ceiling windows.

A spacious open-plan living area adjoins modern kitchen, that comes with walk-in pantry.

There is a fireplace and reverse cycle air-conditioner in living area, and fans throughout the home.

Verandahs of 3m width are on four sides, with the ends being used as four-car accommodation.

A 9m by 6m Colorbond garage is fitted with shower and toilet plus 9m by 6m awning.

With rural and mountain views, the property is five minutes to the primary school, 15 minutes to Biggenden, and 22 minutes to Childers.

GRAZING STARTER BLOCK

Philip Dowling has also just listed a 64.72ha grazing block L50 Booyal-Dallarnil Rd, Dallarnil.

For sale at $520,000, it is of mostly undulating country with good heavy soil.

Fenced into six paddocks with steel stockyards, head bail and calf cradle, the property is watered by a creek, a bore with solar pump, and poly tanks.

Grasses are creeping blue, green panic, rhodes and native grasses with win cassia, fine stem and seca style.

There is bitumen road frontage. ●

Locals love local property...

A 30.78ha property with four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, granny flat, creek, bore and two dams at 180 Booyal Dallarnil Rd, Dallarnil, has just been listed at offers above $695,000. 314981

Rural Matters What is un-Australian?

Following the launch of the annual summer Australian Lamb ad, Aussie Lamb is back to challenge the term Un-Australian and remind the world that it’s all our differences, along with our delicious lamb, that unites us.

Research conducted by Australian Lamb found that almost half (45 percent) of Aussies have been called out for an Un-Australian act, while over half (52 percent) have used the term to describe someone or something.

It seems it is most popular amongst Millennials, with the majority (60 percent) having called someone or something Un-Australian or been called it themselves (59 percent).

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the rise in living costs over the last 12 months have dominated the list of the most Un-Australian things to have happened in 2022.

However, aside from the lettuce hitting the headlines, it’s the $34 watermelon causing the most uproar (55 percent), above both rising rent / property prices (36 percent) and rising interest rates (32 percent).

Now though, it seems that these call outs have gone too far.

More than half of Australians believe that the term “Un-Australian” has become so overused in 2022 – it’s hard to know what is or isn’t Australian anymore. Interestingly, more men than women (61 percent versus 46 percent) believe this to be the case. The latest advert from Australian Lamb imagines an alternate reality which sees people being called out for being Un-Australian before being banished to “Un-Australia” – an infinite cultural exile.

In the lifeless desert, we meet Aussies who’ve committed offences from switching off the test cricket, eating a meat pie with a knife and fork, to not knowing the second verse to Khe Sanh.

When Lambassador Sam Kekovich appears in a cloud of smoke, alongside a sizzling BBQ and perfectly searing lamb, it’s clear all this Un-Australian accusing has gone too far.

Graeme Yardy, Domestic Market Manager at MLA says: “The use of Un-Australian has got out of control, everything from how you eat your pie to having a wedding on Grand Final day is on the chopping block.

“Chances are you’ll be viewed as Un-Australian by someone.

“What makes Australia great is that we celebrate our differences.

“Lamb is famous for bringing Aussies together, so what better way to cut through this

division and help us come together over these collective differences than with a good lamb barbecue.”

“As ever, this campaign is topical, tongue in cheek and positions lamb as the meat of choice to unite us.”

The research confirmed that our national foods and eating habits are also sacred, with a Bunnings with no sausage sizzle (28 percent), eating a pie with a knife and fork (27 percent) and toasting fairy bread (24 percent) all being called out as Un-Australian.

Grass fires still a risk despite widespread flooding

By Tracey Ferrier, AAP Brisbane

It’s hard to imagine, but flood-ravaged parts of Australia could still face dangerous grassfires this summer and all it will take is a few hot, dry days.

After the wettest year on record in some parts, and ongoing flooding in Australia’s northwest and south, the prospect of fires any time soon seems incongruous.

But CSIRO fire expert Dr Andrew Sullivan says the risk of grassfires - fast-moving blazes that have been among Australia’s most deadly - remains very real.

And just a few days of hot, dry weather could create the right conditions.

“You can get extensive fires burning through grasslands the same year as extensive rain and growth because it grows really quick and it dries out really quick,” he says.

He says annual grasses that grow, flower, set seed and then die every year have now completed their life cycle and are turning brown.

Regardless of factors like how much moisture is in the soil, and how much rain falls this summer, that dead material is still lying there.

The critical factor is whether or not places that have had heavy growth get the hot dry conditions that will dehydrate dead vegetation and make it ripe for combustion.

“You don’t need a great period of time. If

you get three or four days of hot, dry, windy weather at the end of January or February there’s a potential that stuff will burn really well, regardless of what the general

climate is doing.”

The same isn’t typically true for forests, which take much longer to dry out.

“It’s not until you’ve had at least two to

three continuous years of rainfall deficit that you’ve got the potential for catastrophic fires burning through forest lands.”

Dr Sullivan is the principal research scientist at the National Bushfire Research Laboratory, which delves into the factors that influence bushfire behaviour.

He doesn’t believe most Australians fully grasp how dangerous grassfires can be, with news coverage often dominated by dramatic images of flames racing through tall forests.

But in the fire stakes, a grass one will outpace a forest one every time, and he says it pays to remember what unfolded on South Australia’s Lower Eyre Peninsula in 2005.

The blaze killed nine people, including eight who perished as they tried to escape the danger in their cars. Four of them were children.

About 50,000 livestock also died and 93 homes were destroyed.

Dr Sullivan says the fastest reliably recorded grassfire spread at 27km/h, and there were reports the Eyre Peninsula blaze exceeded that, at 30km/h, about three times the maximum speed of most forest fires.

“The issue with grass fires is that they can start somewhere and in a very short amount of time be burning somewhere else totally different, with people totally unaware there’s a fire heading their way. And they get caught out.”

DrAndrewSullivanistheprincipalresearchscientistattheNationalBushfireResearch Laboratory.

Picture:MICKTSIKAS/AAP

ThelatestAustralianLambadquestionswhatisreallyUn-Australian.

MPs lament soil ‘con job’

In a cruel blow to Australian farmers, the Federal Labor Government has confirmed it has axed the $54 million pilot Soil Monitoring Incentives Program (SMIP) because of flooding.

During the lead-up to Christmas, Minister for Agriculture and Emergency Management, Murray Watt, secretly cut an innovative soil program, which he recognised just weeks before was important for the agriculture industry.

While spruiking the SMIP in November 2022, Minister Watt said “healthy soil underpins Australia’s natural landscapes and our high-quality sustainable agriculture industry” and that “without intervention, reduced soil quality and function impacts our economy, environment, food security and way of life”.

Despite saying this, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s website confirms that the SMIP has now ceased “due to climatic conditions around the country, including flooding and higher than average rainfall”.

It appears that while MinisterWatt was promoting the importance of healthy soil and urging farmers to access the SMIP, he was intending to axe it altogether.

Established under the former Coalition Government, the SMIP provided landholders with up to $275 per soil sampling site - capped at $10,000 per business - in exchange for sharing the information with a national soil database, to help inform the development of future policy.

Crucially this program also allowed farmers

to benchmark the carbon or organic matter of their farm soil, to help them gather data required for Emissions Reduction Fund projects.

Scrapping the SMIP is also directly at odds

with the final report of the Independent Review of Australian Carbon Credit Units, commissioned by the government, which recommends measures to improve data access, data

sharing and transparency.

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud, said he was proud to deliver the SMIP under the previous government and this initiative was a core part of the Coalition’s commitment to strengthen Australia’s soil health and improve data collection.

“The Soil Monitoring Incentives Program was designed to boost the productivity and profitability of Australian agriculture,” Mr Littleproud said.

“This pilot was about supporting farmers to make informed and evidence-based decisions on their land, as well as providing invaluable soil information to researchers and the National Soil Strategy.

“Labor’s decision to end the SMIP is disgraceful and it reflects their contempt for our farmers and the $85 billion agriculture industry.”

Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Senator Perin Davey, said that cutting this program was yet another example of the Albanese Government demonstrating its blatant disregard for regional Australia.

“It is appalling that the Agriculture Minister would use flooding as an excuse to cut this crucial program,” Senator Davey said.

“Such a claim doesn’t stack up and this soil con job raises serious questions about the lengths that Labor will go, to cover up its own incompetence.”

It’s that time of the year again when, after indulging over the Christmas period, we promise to do things differently in the year ahead - eat a little better, drink a little less, get a little healthier.

Queensland’s sugarcane farmers are also starting the new year hoping that their industry can be better in 2023.

The 2022 season has been one of the toughest and most frustrating in recent years, and for some growers, it’s not over yet.

As of 10 January, at least three sugar mills were still crushing cane, more than a month after the usual finish date.

It’s true that the unprecedented length of

OWEN MENKENS, CANEGROWERS CHAIRMAN

this season is partly due to wet weather and the resulting larger than expected crop.

But the fact is, poor mill reliability has played a huge part in the season dragging out so long.

The late start in many areas, frequent mill

break-downs, and poor logistical management have caused delays across the industry.

Now is the time to honour New Year’s resolutions CANE CHAT

The sugar industry is hugely important to regional Queensland and is the lifeblood of many of our regional towns and cities.

Growers are playing their part to ensure we have a strong and vibrant industry for many years to come.

The harvesting sector is also doing an amazing job, often under difficult conditions, while struggling with a shortage of skilled workers.

But growers and harvest contractors can’t carry the industry alone. It doesn’t matter how much cane we grow or harvest, if we

don’t have the capacity to crush that cane efficiently the industry will continue to suffer.

Due to the extended season, mills now have a much shorter window to carry out all the necessary maintenance and capital works required for a successful crush in 2023.

The mills have resolved to pull out all the stops to make sure the necessary work is completed and we do not have a repeat of poor performance witnessed in 2022.

I urge them to stick to this NewYear’s Resolution, for the benefit of growers, our regional communities, the Queensland economy, and of course, the milling sector itself.

Big cash lure on the line in Fish’n’SIP$ competition

Recreational fishers in parts of regional Queensland now have a cash lure to wet a line in five of the State’s favourite stocked impoundments.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said Kinchant Dam is one of the locations where some of 100 tagged fish have been released as part of a competition.

“The first fifteen fish caught on a line and accurately reported to InfoFish will win a prize and the sooner you catch a tagged fish, the larger the prize will be,” Mrs Gilbert said.

“Kinchant Dam is a great place to go fishing, and we want even more North Queensland families to enjoy the experience.”

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said $50,000 was on the line in the first-ever tagged fishing competition involving Queensland’s Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS).

“Thanks to the efforts of the Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland Inc, fishers can cast their lines and try their luck in the inaugural Fish’n’SIP$ competition for a good feed that will also net a cash bonus in time for Christmas,” Mr Furner said.

“A total of 100 legal-sized fish, including barramundi and bass, have been tagged and released in the five participating impoundments in the Wide-Bay Burnett, Central and North Queensland regions.

“Lake Tinaroo, Lake Proserpine, Kinchant Dam, Lake Callide, and Lake Cania are each breaming with 20 tagged fish that could be worth from $1000 to $20,000,” Mr Furner said.

Mr Furner said the only catch was that fish-

ers need to purchase a SIPS permit to tackle the five impoundments involved in the Fish’n’SIP$ competition.

“SIPS plays an important part in the Queensland Government’s overall Sustainable Fisheries strategy by helping to alleviate pressure on our wild fish populations,” Mr Furner said.

“Revenue from SIPS permits supports our volunteer partners in the program to stock impoundments with native fish species including golden perch, Australian bass, and barramundi specifically for recreational fishing.

“Fishing in Queensland’s 63 SIPS impoundments, which require a permit to fish with a line, also gives the economy an annual boost of approximately $100 million, with at least a

quarter of that amount spent directly in regional economies.

“I encourage recreational fishers to get a SIPS permit which you can access on-line and hook into this exciting new tagged fishing competition,” he said.

Prizes have already been won with some very lucky fishing goers earning a nice penny.

Time to get fishing and get tagging!

Leaders of the Nationals David Littleproud.

What’s actually in season?

Thanks to wholesalers sourcing fruits and vegetables from various regions of Australia and further afar we see favourite commodities almost year-round on the supermarket shelves.

We can therefore be forgiven for forgetting what’s actually in season for our own region.

The Christmas period traditionally means stone fruit, nectarines, peaches, cherries and the like.

Whilst this region grows some of these crops, we grow more quantities of melon, mango and lychee and whilst most of us have been enjoying a bit of R and R over the Christmas break our growers have been busy picking, packing and transporting these crops and others all over Australia with lychees in particularly being exported to various countries including New Zealand, Singapore and the UAE.

The mango growing season experienced good conditions and flowering resulting in ex-

HORT CHAT

BREE WATSON

cellent quality and bumper crops for mango lovers.

Many growers in the northern regions have experienced fruit ripening at once leading to healthy supply which drives price down, great for the consumer but not ideal for the grower.

Our mangoes come into season towards the tail end of the season when hopefully supply will lighten due to the North finishing up and leading to better prices for our regional producers.

Happy new year and may the AgForce be with you in 2023

AGFORCE

GENERAL PRESIDENT

GEORGIE SOMERSET

It’s always nice to have something to celebrate in the new year.

And as we head into 2023, there is much to shout about in ag – not least AgForce’s achievements from 2022.

A personal highlight for me was the launch of AgCarE - our ground-breaking initiative which enables farmers to know the value of their natural capital assets.

Through AgCarE, producers are now actively identifying potential biodiversity and carbon projects on their land, and can speak with confidence about the role they play in a low emissions future.

The latest Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) report also shows that producers have an undeniably good news story to tell.

The report reveals overall tree clearing in Queensland from 2019-2020 is down by 40 per cent on the previous year, while clearing in remnant and high value regrowth vegetation regulated areas has reduced by more than 50 percent.

But that’s not all.

In the past year, AgForce successfully advocated for evidence-based government policy for Reef management, ensuring the 2022 review of the Reef Scientific Consensus Statement will, for the first time, consider peerreviewed industry publications alongside reef water quality publications.

It means producers and industry retain a voice amongst the almost deafening emotion driven political agenda that risks overwhelming our Reef’s health.

We also helped stop Foot and Mouth and Lumpy Skin Disease entering Australia (and took the necessary steps to prepare).

As was widely reported, the consequences of an outbreak for producers and entire communities would be disastrous which is why we prioritised work on this issue and worked tirelessly to keep the community informed.

And of course, we continued improving drought support, enabling preparedness and supporting a focus on resilience, to ensure our farmers are better supported.

So, as we venture forth into a new year, rest assured that AgForce will continue to work every day to strengthen our incredible industry for the advancement of every single person living in rural and regional Queensland.

May the AgForce be with you.

The lychee harvest commenced in December for those growers with early season varieties.

The season was slightly delayed as growers were impacted by storms, diurnal temperature variations and periods of intermittent rain, however reports of good harvest and highquality fruit are being received.

Other lychee growers have just commenced their harvests this month and we look forward to hearing similar results.

Melons commenced early November for some growers and can be sourced easily from roadside stalls around the region where you can pick up excellent quality watermelons for $5.00 each.

Picking a good melon can be intimidating but given the quality of the fruit in this region you have a good chance of picking the perfect one.

Here are a few quick tips on what to look for when choosing your fruit: look for the field spot which is where the watermelon was resting on the ground, the field spot should be a yellow creamy colour and look for a melon that is heavy for its size.

If you are really keen you can look for the pollination points on the melon, the more the better and finally just like kicking a tyre you can always rap your knuckles on the melon and what you want here is a firm surface, a resonating dull thud may indicate the flesh is soft and potentially starting to spoil.

So next time you are driving around the region look at what’s growing, call into roadside stalls and support the local producers, learn, and share your knowledge on the food we eat and make a point of adding more colour to your plate in 2023.

Tough year predicted for Aus pineapple growers

While most see the rains as a blessing, there are commodities in agriculture that go against the wind and need longer, dryer spells.

What can be one grower’s good fortune can be their neighbour’s hell.

In 2022, the country saw unseasonably warm weather (about 4 degrees warmer than usual) combined with double the average monthly rainfall.

This combination has created the perfect storm, triggering a mass natural flowering event for pineapple growers.

On the surface natural flowering indicates a usual annual natural flowering event.

On any one average year it’s approximately 10 percent of a crop.

However, the 2022 growing year resulted in 60 per cent to 80 per cent of the crop flowering too early.

This will mean the only crop produced this year for many growers and significant impacts on the following crop.

Growers are predicting a potential oversupply followed by a shortage as they regroup, replant and bunker down.

It will be a tough 2023 for many pineapple growers, they have some extra hard yards ahead of them.

So, what can everyone do to help?

Buy a Queensland pineapple of course and stock up on your Golden Circle tinned goods and juices.

From drinks to baking, savoury and sweet there is so much that can be done with this humble yet versatile fruit. Not into its delishness? It also makes a great table display or a striking piece of decor for the kitchen. People could even whack some sunglasses and headphones on one and they’ll look right at home in a teen’s bedroom.

According to the latest Hort Innovation horticulture statistics, 40 per cent of Australian households purchased fresh pineapples, buying an average of 1.1kg per shopping trip.

Queensland’s only monthly newspaper for women in agriculture

The pineapple industry may need support in 2023.

Georgie Somerset.

Service makes big impact

By Angela Norval

While many of us were out enjoying time with our family and friends throughout the festive Christmas and NewYear period, thankfully the dedicated team of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue were on hand, ready when they were needed.

During much of 2022, the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue team had been called to such a wealth of different rescues from the bush to the ocean and even down the side of mountains.

The holiday period between 24 December through to 8 January inclusive, the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue fleet responded to 120 critical missions across Queensland.

The Bundaberg-based helicopter alone responded to 25 critical missions, within that same holiday period.

The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter fleet was tasked to nine missions at Fraser Island in those same two weeks and of those nine flights, four were to retrieve patients who had suspected Irukanji stings.

It is easy to see why LifeFlight is a world leader in aeromedical care with a core purpose to save lives and serve the community, recruiting, training and deploying specialised medical personnel integral to their success in providing lifesaving aeromedical services.

On Wednesday 28 December, the Bundaberg RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew airlifted a young boy from K’gari in the afternoon, which made him the fourth suspected Irukanji sting patient to be flown from the island in just two days.

The boy was reportedly swimming in the same popular creek on the western side of the island as the children who were airlifted the previous day.

Thankfully, the pilot managed to land the aircraft on the beach, close to where the primary school-aged child was with his family and other tourists.

This flight followed two back-to-back missions to K’gari to airlift three girls to hospital following reactions to stings they received while playing or swimming in the water.

The chopper crew was first tasked around 11am yesterday, to aid one young holidaymaker who was suffering from envenomation symptoms.

Just over an hour after transferring her into the care of medical staff at Hervey Bay Hospital, the crew returned to the island when two sisters, aged 5 and 9 years old, were both stung across their upper chest area.

But Bundaberg RACQ LifeFlight Rescue missions were not simply delegated to the ocean as a young woman was also airlifted by the Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter after she was involved in a waterskiing accident on New Year’s Day.

The high school-aged girl was reportedly

water-skiing at a popular North Burnett dam when the incident occurred and she fell into the water.

The teenager suffered suspected neck injuries as a result of the fall, and was treated by local Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics at the scene.

The girl was flown to Bundaberg Hospital in a stable condition, under the care of the LifeFlight Critical Care Doctor and QAS Flight Paramedic.

Although again the Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew airlifted a young girl from K’gari (Fraser Island) after she suffered a suspected Irukandji jellyfish sting.

The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter flew to the western side of the island, shortly after 6:30pm (Sat 7 January), where the pilot was able to land on the beach.

It’s believed the primary school-aged girl had been swimming in the ocean near a popular creek, when she was stung on her lower back and leg.

Her parents administered first aid, using vinegar and water, before the rescue chopper arrived.

She was the fifth child to be airlifted from the popular tourist island by the Bundaberg

For more information in regards to the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue and how you can sup-

port this

a

or even becoming a volunteer, visit their website at lifeflight.org.au

Warning for swimmers as Irukandji stings climb

By Tahlia Facer

The Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew airlifted its fifth patient from K’gari (Fraser Island) on Saturday night, 7 January, after a young girl suffered a suspected Irukandji jellyfish sting.

Crew flew to the western side of the island, shortly after 6:30pm on 7 January, where the pilot was able to land on the beach.

It’s believed the primary school-aged girl had been swimming in the ocean near a popular creek, when she was stung on her lower back and leg.

Her parents administered first aid, using vinegar and water, before the rescue chopper arrived.

The patient, accompanied by her mother, was in a stable condition when she was flown to the mainland for treatment at Hervey Bay Hospital.

She is the fifth child to be airlifted from the popular tourist island by the Bundaberg rescue chopper, these school holidays.

OnTuesday27Decemberthreeyounggirls including two sisters were flown to hospital

in two separate missions and on Wednesday 28 December a young boy was also airlifted suffering symptoms of envenomation.

A Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service spokesperson said the service was bound by a strict duty to protect the privacy of its patients and that it could not provide information or comments about individual cases, including Irukandji stings.

“There is no swab or blood test to confirm an Irukandji sting,” they said.

“Doctors will make a clinical diagnosis

based on the patient’s symptoms. Doctors will consider things such as onset of symptoms, presence of marks where tentacles have made contact, severity of pain, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and blood pressure.

“On rare occasions, some people with an Irukandji sting, especially those who are older or who have underlying conditions, may experience more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shooting pain (particularly in the chest) and damage to the heart or lungs.

“Patients are monitored and usually only need pain relief and are discharged within a day. In more severe cases, further monitoring and appropriate treatment is given.

“There are other marine stingers that can cause similar symptoms, and doctors will make a diagnosis based on the specific case and treat the patient accordingly.”

The Irukandji jellyfish is a small, extremely venomous species of box jellyfish approximately two centimetres in diameter, making it difficult for swimmers to notice in the water.

Irukandji jellyfish are most likely found in tropical Australian waters, from Bundaberg in Queensland to Geraldton in Western Australia, from November to May, though incidents of Irukandji Syndrome in Far North Queensland have been recorded for all months of the year.

Signs and symptoms of Irukandji envenomation are not always immediate and may appear 5 to 45 minutes after the initial sting and may include severe backache or headache, shooting pains in their muscles, chest and abdomen, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, vomiting and breathing difficulties.

In the event of a suspected Irukandji jellyfish sting, people are advised to carefully remove the casualty from the water, avoid rubbing the sting area and immediately douse the skin with vinegar for at least 30 seconds.

If vinegar is not available it is advised that the tentacles be carefully removed from the skin and the area is rinsed well with seawater.

Immediately call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance and regularly monitor and record the casualty’s pulse, breathing and conscious level and begin resuscitation if necessary.

The Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew airlifted a young girl from K’gari (Fraser Island) on Saturday night after she suffered a suspected Irukandji jellyfish sting.

Picture: CONTRIBUTED

rescue chopper, these school holidays.

valuable service through

donation

A New Year’s Day water skiing accident was made that much better with the arrival of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue team.

RACQ LifeFlight Rescue was called to K’gari a number of times over the holidays due to Irukanji stings.

No backdating on GP audits

By Tahlia Facer

The Queensland Government and the Queensland Revenue Office has advised that audits on GPs and applicable payroll tax will be limited to the 2021-22 financial year and into the future.

In November 2022 the Australian Medical Association of Queensland warned the State Government that a “greedy tax grab” on GPs would force many practices to either pass on the extra cost or see them close their doors.

The decision has been announced following ongoing advocacy from the AMAQ who, in November, said the government was slugging struggling practices with retrospective bills of as much as $3 million, going back five years, at a time when GPs were already at breaking point after almost three years of a pandemic.

AMAQ said GPs had been hit with backdated payroll tax bills over the past two year based on a new interpretation of tax law from a New South Wales tribunal ruling.

The NSW tribunal decision ruled that a particular practice had to pay payroll tax for GPs who had been operating on a contractual basis.

Many doctors operate out of medical centres through service agreements where the GP pays a fee for room rental and shared administrative support, but are not directly employed by the practice and therefore do not attract the payroll tax that an administration employee would.

The medical field was worried that the ruling in NSW could be used as an example to target Queensland practices should the Queensland Revenue Office follow suit.

Had the QRO implemented the retrospective payroll tax against Queensland practices, AMAQ says 81 per cent of general practices would have been affected.

AMAQ president Maria Boulton said she welcomed the decision by the State Government not to backdate audits potentially to 2017.

“We are beyond delighted that the QRO has listened to our sensible advice,” she said.

“This decision is a sensible first step to resolving this issue. It gives GPs greater certainty about their financial futures and gives them time to comply with the new interpretation of tax laws.

“Practices have always paid payroll tax for receptionists, nurses and other staff. But doctors in practices work under different arrangements.

“Practices that had been totally compliant with the previous rulings suddenly found themselves hit with backdated payroll tax bills ranging from a few thousand to millions of dollars - bills they hadn’t budgeted for and had no capacity to pay.

“Many GP practices faced closure in the face of these unexpected bills, leaving communities without doctors.

“We hope this means those backdated tax bills will be cancelled and those practices can go back to delivering care to patients.

“We also hope other states will follow Queensland’s lead and implement similar limits on audits of GPs.

“We are facing a GP crisis across the nation. Now is not the time to add extra financial

pressures on GPs.”

On Wednesday the Australian Medical Association called on National Cabinet to take a consistent approach and legislate an exemption to the GP payroll tax to prevent more practices hitting a financial wall and going under.

AMA president Professor Stephen Robson said several legal cases have led to huge uncertainty about whether payroll tax will be applied when GPs work under a service agreement.

“The clinic doesn’t pay their wages, superannuation or leave so it’s preposterous now for many clinics to be thrown into chaos and not know whether they will be facing retrospective bills for payroll tax of potentially millions of dollars,” Professor Robson said.

He said said the Federal Government understood that GPs were essential medical services and had exempted them from GST.

“State Governments are essentially putting

a tax on patients for accessing federally-funded Medicare services through this sneaky new tax,” the AMA president said.

“The nation’s health system is in crisis, and we now see state governments making bad decisions by applying a patient tax that will force general practices to close. This will impact all levels of care and patients will be affected.”

In December 2022 the QRO conceded that it had changed its interpretation of tax laws following the 2021 NSW tribunal decision, confirming GPs would be liable for payroll tax into the future.

“This is the last thing practices across the country need as they struggle with increasing costs and a Medicare rebate that’s been poorly indexed,” Professor Robson said.

“We have situations where practices previously deemed fully compliant with the law are now being told they are liable for payroll tax because of a new interpretation of the law, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Lower cost PBS medicines now available across Aus

The new, lower cost of PBS medicines cames into effect on New Year’s Day, meaning the most patients will pay for a PBS listed medication is $30, down from $42.50.

This follows Parliament passing legislation late last year to lower the maximum copayment cost of PBS medicines.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s National President, Professor Trent Twomey, said this would be a big help to some 19 million patients, especially those who have been struggling to afford their medicines.

“In 2019-20 we learnt that 900,000 Australian patients did not get a script filled because they could not afford it,” he said.

“As health professionals, this disturbed us immensely and led to our “Affordable Medicines Now” campaign which pressured both parties to commit to lowering the cost of PBS medicines in the lead up to the last election.

“It’s a credit to our politicians that they listened to those concerns and gave a bipartisan commitment to lower the maximum co-payment for PBS listed medicines after the election.

“January 1 marks a significant date as it will be the first time in the history of the PBS that the general co-payment for medicines has come down and not gone up.”

However, Professor Twomey said the campaign to make medicines universally affordable was far from over.

“We are now pushing to lower the maximum co-payment of PBS medicines even further, to $19,” he said.

“Reducing the maximum co-payment to $19 will mean an additional 30 per cent of PBS medicines are covered.”

Pharmacists were shocked to find out that in 2019-20 900,000 Australian patients did not get a script filled because they could not afford it.

Dr Aaron Chambers and AMA Queensland president Maria Boulton.

Picture: FACEBOOK/AMA QUEENSLAND

Partnerships a real Plus 1

In a creative and collaborative approach to supporting the growth of Queensland arts organisations, the Queensland Government will invest up to $376,500 to enable nine arts organisations to leverage additional revenue through the new Strategic Partnerships Fund.

Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said the fund would support Access Arts, Australasian Dance Company, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Ballet Theatre of Queensland, Camerata, Dancenorth, Institute of Modern Art, La Boite and Topology to strengthen their fundraising efforts, secure good jobs and grow new investment in the arts sector.

They were identified through a Palaszczuk Government partnership with the national Creative Partnerships Australia Plus1 program.

“Our investment builds on CPA’s support for five arts organisations that secured Plus1 funding earlier this year (QMusic, BlakDance Australia, Vulcana Women’s Circus, Red Ridge Interior Queensland and Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts), boosting arts sector access to revenue streams through matchedfunded donor campaigns,“ Ms Enoch said.

“Our partnership with CPA will help ensure that funding organisations, philanthropists, government and community members can work together to accelerate the growth of our arts sector and to amplify positive arts impacts and investment outcomes.

“This commitment has the potential to raise at least an additional $376,500 in funding from non-government sources, boosting the overall investment in small to medium arts organisations in Queensland,” the Minister said.

The CPA Plus1 program identified a number of high-quality Queensland applications as part of a peer assessment process, and through the Strategic Partnerships Fund investment, the state government has almost trebled the number of Queensland organisations to benefit from the program in its latest round.

Creative Partnerships chief executive officer Fiona Menzies said over the last 10 years, the Plus1 program had been a turning point for many organisations in their fundraising.

“Matched funding provides an incentive for donors, while the program provides an opportunity for organisations to succeed and gain

momentum in fundraising,” she said.

“Fundraising is, of course, about more than just money. It is about building a community of supporters for arts organisations and the impact they have on their communities. We are thrilled that this opportunity is being extended to additional organisations in Queensland through this partnership.”

Access Arts chief executive officer Pat Swell said they were incredibly excited to receive funding to support Undercover Artist Festival, which had grown to become Australia’s premier performing arts and disability festival, produced/performed by artists with disability.

“This unique festival nurtures individual artistry, culturally educates and presents ex-

periences to community that move beyond stigmas associated with disability, creating career pathways and recognising excellence,” Ms Swell said.

“We are looking forward to using this support to springboard further engagement with the many individuals and organisations who share our aspirations for the festival.”

It’s going to be a dino-mite year at Queensland Museum

Some of the world’s largest dinosaurs to have ever walked the earth will be stampeding their way into Queensland Museum in 2023 as part of a roar-some line-up of new exhibitions and colossal exhibits.

From South America to Southeast Queensland, visitors will be able to learn about the creatures that ruled the land and walk with herbivores and carnivores from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, periods, between 252 to 66 million years ago.

Dinosaurs of Patagonia will kick off the museum’s year of the dinosaur when it opens on Friday, 17 March 2023, featuring 13 dinosaur species and incredible fossils from South America.

On display will be the colossal Patagotitan, the largest known land animal which reached 37 metres long and weighed in at 70 tonnes; the carnivorous 6 tonne Tyrannotitan, one of the most ferocious predators of the Cretaceous period and Manidens condorensis, by contrast, one of the smallest herbivore dinosaurs known to date (75 centimetres tall).

Queensland Museum Network CEO Dr Jim Thompson said Dinosaurs of Patagonia will bring the fascinating world of our prehistoric past to life and will be a great experience for dino fans and visitors.

“Dinosaurs have always been hugely popular at the museum, and this incredible exhibition brings together original dinosaur fossils dating back millions of years, full-scale casts of dinosaurs, and new discoveries,” Dr Thompson said.

“The sheer size of the dinosaur skeletons in Dinosaurs of Patagonia is something you truly have to see for yourself to get an understanding of these massive, majestic creatures which once roamed the Earth.”

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said dinosaurs continued to hold a fascination for people of all ages.

“Queensland is known for our dinosaur discoveries, so it’s wonderful to showcase these incredible South American dinosaurs that perhaps may have roamed on our country as well,” Minister Enoch said.

“Queensland Museum has shared our sto-

ries for 160 years and Dinosaurs of Patagonia tells the stories of creatures that were thousands of years in the making.

“The Queensland Government supports Queensland Museum to share the stories of our past, present exciting large-scale exhibitions that create great experiences for Queenslanders and visitors to our state, and grow the state’s reputation for rich cultural experiences.”

Visitors to Dinosaurs of Patagonia will be able to explore the exhibition through the eyes of palaeontologists, check out 3D animation and videos of dinosaurs and digs, and get close to some of the world’s most remarkable fossils, including a real 2.4 metre Patagotitan femur.

Dinosaurs from Patagonia is developed by the Museo Paleontologico Egidio Feruglio (MEF), Argentina.

The Patagotitan mayorum compared to humans.

Picture: CREATIVE COMMONS

Performers from the Undercover Artist Festival.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Floods, pandemics and supply chain challenges have highlighted the benefits of buying locally. ERLE

LEVEY looks at how primary producers managed in 2022.

The year of living locally

The past year has shone a light on some of the region’s most inspiring farming practices.

Right at the start I had the pleasure of meeting Sara and Markus Bucher.

He was from a mountain village in Switzerland. She grew up in North Queensland.

Together, they designed a business plan while driving across the Nullarbor Plain.

Eight years later that business is all they could have wished for - Maleny Cheese and Obi Obi Dairy.

In doing so they have taken traditional farming practices and adopted new technology, sustainability facets and improved environmental standards.

Improved water capture and distribution, tree and wetland plantings, awareness of machinery impact on the land, safe farming apps ... now a fit-bit for the cows to monitor their well-being and milk production.

Markus and Sara represent the new face of farming. Combine this with a new mindset of up-and-coming farmers, who are determined to find sustainable farming practices and a better way forward.

The Gympie State High School’s agricultural program is one of the most inspiring examples of future thinking and innovative farming practices to take us into the new era.

In a year in which the industry has been rocked by widespread flooding, Covid-19, rising costs and shortages of supply, and exotic disease concerns, consumers understood the value of local suppliers of fresh, healthy food.

The strengthening of existing farmers’ markets has been evident in their expansion and popularity post-Covid.

With this in mind I decided to catch up with Sara and Markus and see how they have weathered the storm of 2022 as they, in many ways, represented what so many producers have been experiencing.

How Sara met Markus is fascinating. How they developed their business is inspirational.

Talking with Sara at Obi Obi Dairy in Coolabine Creek Rd at Kenilworth, she told me the 380-acre property includes some of the rich-

est river flats you could imagine, ringed by the Blackall Ranges.

The Obi Obi Creek runs through the middle of it.

The dairy is one of four that provide milk for Maleny Cheese, a cheese and yoghurt factory with an outlet at Clifford St, Balmoral Ridge, they established 18 years ago.

In turn, the factory provides content for four other processors in the region ... small boutique cheeseries and yoghurt factories.

Sara and Markus met in the summer of 1983 in the United States. Both were passing through Denver, Colorado, and staying at the

same youth hostel.

She was a 19-year-old Australian and he was a young Swiss traveller, with no English.

Markus was travelling around the world and said he would look Sara up in Australia.

True to his word Markus came to Queensland and they had got to know each other better.

He returned home for family reasons but a year later Sara and a girlfriend decided to travel to Europe.

They looked him up in his home town of Schaffhausen, a wine-growing area on the Upper Rhine River.

“He is a formally-trained cheesemaker,’’ Sara said, “... a master cheesemaker.

“He can teach it, he is very accomplished.’’ Markus was operating a milch centrale, which roughly translates to “centre of milk’’, a hub.

It was very much like what they are doing now.

In Schaffhausen, he had seven dairy farms that supplied milk to his shop that traded everything from fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, to 40 different cheeses cut to customer requirements.

He was selling cheese, not making it.

Obi Obi Dairy at Kenilworth.

He was stranded four nights but the other farming families made a bed up for him.’’

Kylie Wesley, chef Wayne Healy, Luann Efu, and Matt Golinski

prepare for Gympie State High School’s Paddock To Plate dinner. 295177

Setting up for Gympie State High School’s Paddock To Plate dinner. 295177

From Page 45

“These little shops were part of Swiss culture,’’ Sara said.

“His first business opportunity included doing contracts to hospitals and institutions, delivering fresh milk.

“It would be delivered in milk cans, 40 litres at a time.’’

Sara and Markus married and had the first three of four children in Switzerland over the next five years.

It was a mutual decision to come home to Australia. That was in 1993 and initially they were based at Townsville - where Sara grew up.

Markus started doing postgraduate studies in dairy technology with aVictorian university.

Then, with four children, Markus got a job in Western Australia - initially in Perth making yoghurt - but was then picked up for a cheesemaking role by Margaret River Cheese.

Three years later they hatched a plan to establish a business in Queensland.

They didn’t know what, they didn’t know where, but they virtually developed the business plan while driving across the Nullarbor.

Their travels had taken them to Adelaide, Victoria, North Queensland, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast hinterlands.

They were looking for the right place, and settled on Maleny.

“It was the right spot for us,’’ Sara said. “It has a beautiful community, with a long dairy history and consistent rain - it was a good compromise between a Swiss and Australian lifestyle.’’

Maleny Cheese started in 2004 after two years of planning and preparation.

Getting to where they are today with a wide range of cheeses and yoghurts, has meant hard work, planning and collaboration - collaboration not just within the community but with other dairy producers.

“We both have a mindset of collaboration,’’ Sara said. “Initially when we were starting the business here in Maleny we were viewed strangely by the way we worked with others.

“We were told they’re competitors but we see them as our colleagues.

“In our industry we will share.

“We deliberately will not bottle milk here. We make products to complement what’s already available.

“It’s no good us reinventing the wheel trying to compete. It’s such a small region for dairy even though it’s had a huge history.

“We decided to work with our colleagues.’’

The rain early this year saw four quite significant floods on the farm - especially in March.

From that episode they were marooned on an island for about four days ... the dairy was above a lot of flat land.

So they kept on milking as there was power throughout the whole event.

“It just meant all the staff on the farm just chipped in and did back-to-back shifts,’’ Sara said.

“There were no days off through that time …. they were able to get to work because they rent accommodation on the farm.

“One particular fellow was in our other house on the western side of the creek.

“He got to work just fine in the morning but by midday it was a raging flood.

“He was newly arrived from Europe, so with the extreme heat I was questioning whether he was going to be a medical evacuation because he was profoundly impacted.

“He was stranded four nights but the other farming families made a bed up for him.’’

Covid outbreaks were dealt with by following Queensland Government directions to isolate any staff impacted by the virus and continue the milking program.

When it came to supply issues caused by transport and labour shortages, Sara and Markus’ forward planning of vertical integration really saved the day.

The cooled milk went straight from the vats into their milk tankers until the floods receded. Then, on the hour they were advised the highway was open, the trucks left the farm immediately.

The way the year’s turned out, there hasn’t been time to develop any new product lines within the cheese and yoghurt ranges.

“Our plan is to continue to take one step at a time,’’ Sara said.

“As ambitious and forward-thinking we would love to be, the reality of staffing at the cafe and in the factory remains an issue.

“We are a full team - just about - but down on the farm there is still a lot of struggle.

“We are still recovering from that major flood in March; the pumps went under, and we did 3km of boundary fencing immediately post event.

“The reality is we, like many businesses, are just so stretched.

“The one thing Covid can teach us all is just to realise this is what it is. Take a breath and do a review and refocus.

“We are very grateful for the people of South-east Queensland, for their continued support.’’

Sara and Markus have developed a long history with Slow Food Noosa as well as being foundation members of FAN - Food and Agribusiness Network.

In 2015 their eldest daughter Jennifer was presented with an opportunity to go to Italy and attend the Slow Food international conference.

“It was absolutely wonderful to receive that sponsorship from Slow Food Noosa,’’ Sara said, “and her introduction to a local family in that town in Italy.

“She always has been a marvellous farm ambassador and going back years and years

was conducting our stall at Noosa Farmers Market.

“Now she is being a busy parent at the moment as well as our business manager for the cheese factory, the cafe and our dairy farm.

“The people she met inspired her. I’m sure she will carry on in the industry as she already shows great leadership quality for the future.’’

The family is involved in discussions of where they want the business to be in the years ahead.

“Covid brought on heavy conversations about what the future holds.

“We have an absolute passion for the industry.

“We are witnessing a generation of people with incredible skill sets that have not had the opportunity to be fostered as traditionally as we have.

“We have opened our doors to people looking for a change. Nothing is ever a waste of time.

“We are adopting as many technologies as we can.’’

This includes erecting shade sheds for the dairy cows - open sided constructions so they

have the freedom to be out yet can come inside and rest on composting beds.

Sara and Markus have planted a wetland on the farm and maintain riparian ways.

Their quest for knowledge started eight years ago with Sunshine Coast Council and landholder grants to manage the land for environmental purposes.

The focus was weeds, tree planting, and fencing to keep stock away from waterways.

“That non-judgemental conversation opened the door for on-going discussions,’’ Sara said.

“Major project after major project … it has been quite an investment but the returns are coming through.

“With SEQ Water we have redirected rainwater off our shed and are using it more precisely on the land.

“We do everything we can to be prepared for flood events and keep contaminants out of the creeks.’’

Another initiative is adopting the use of a safety app - Safe Ag Systems - which is an Adelaide-founded business. The user can check in for work and for safety reasons.

Sara Bucher with some of the range produced by Maleny Cheese and Yogurt. 264807

Sara Bucher of Maleny Cheese and Yoghurt with a selection of their produce. 314072

Maleny Cheese factory at Balmoral Ridge. 264807

Gympie State High School farm. 302151

Then there are the collars for the cows that are a giant fit-bit to check on the health of the cows as well as integrating them with the rotary milking system.

“The technology is very kind on the cow, with the computer sensitive to the milk flow,’’ Sara said. “No cows are over-milked.

“We want to know how the cows are doing all of the time. We are watching for when they are ready for insemination - it takes the guess work out of it.

“The farmer simply gets a message to the phone.’’

The system was going “live’’ in the last weeks of December after a six-month wait due to Covid.

Dairy Australia pretty much leads the world in providing such information, Sara said, what technology there is out there, what a farmer can do.

“It’s not just on the labour side but it’s a big benefit to the cows too.’’

THE NEW FACES OF FARMING

Agriculture, hospitality and tourism form a big part of the region’s economy - and the Gympie State High School farm plays its role in this.

Established on-site more than 60 years ago, the farm allows students, as well as the wider community, to see that a small-scale operation can produce high-quality food.

Students study agricultural science and practical agriculture, as well as rural operations, to industry qualifications level.

There are 60 acres in two lots near the school, where students are involved in cattlebreeding, poultry and agriculture. The main holding is 48 acres of horticulture and intensive cattle-breeding, while another 12 acres is for the breeding herd.

The students grow strawberries here, every year; and they’ve been very successful.

You can see them clearly labelled in the

fruit shops around town.

They also grow such crops as broccoli and cauliflower, radish and cape gooseberries.

Steers and chickens are also raised and fed on the school farm.

Gympie High is celebrating 110 years of service to the community, making it the first state high school in Queensland - a remarkable achievement in itself.

An annual paddock-to-plate dinner at the school comes as an extension of the farm.

The fact that produce from the farm, as well as local suppliers, makes up virtually all of the three-course menu is a sign of confidence in the curriculum.

What it does is help bring students and staff together with common goals, school principal Anthony Lanskey said.

“It is so we can engage our agriculture and hospitality programs together, so students can see what they produce here on the farm is transformed to what is being served tonight.

“They will see that whole process.’’

In between there is the promotion of the event - front of house, marketing, the preparation and serving of meals - activities indicative of how the different programs come together.

Deputy principal Sally Bekker said students helped with the production of the event, from creation of the programs and menus, to sound and lighting.

The film, television and new media department provided the audio-visual segment. This included the production of a video highlighting features of the school and the production journey of the dinner.

Head of department for agricultural studies and marine sciences, Jon Hansen, said with the Gympie Region already establishing a clean, green image there’s much more focus being placed on sustainability.

“Farmers are looking at increasing the tri-

ple bottom line, not just for financial return.

“You need to have that social license - to keep doing what you’re doing, how you’re doing it.

“Ask, are you minimising those environmental impacts or through regenerative agriculture are you trying to restore conditions to what they were while still maintaining agricultural production?

“Is enough being done in the way farming is undertaken?’’

Reflecting the strength of the cattle industry in the region, the school has produced awardwinning breeds over a long period.

A member of the Droughtmaster stud breeder society since 1974, the school has had a long history of breeding, preparing and showing cattle.

Highlighting the school’s approach to farming, they have commissioned production of a feed bin for cattle with a built-in sensor to monitor how much each animal eats.

“We track where the cattle move, how far they move, and the number of times they feed,’’ Sally Bekker said.

“That way we can track how much each cow eats.

“It saves on wastage, increases efficiency, and enables us to collect data for each animal’s needs.

“You cannot buy it. There are some indoor ones being used in dairies, but we have commissioned an outdoor unit.’’

That same enthusiasm and innovation has seen the school develop its own washing and grading equipment for the squash that are grown on the farm.

They form a big part of production and two crops are grown each year.

Students realised they needed a specialised grading machine for sending the vegetables to markets as well as to some local shops.

They looked at what was needed and developed it as it’s important to get quality product to market - in good condition.

The squash are washed, sorted by size, and packed into boxes, weighed and stickered.

The sorting machine is based on a similar type being used by the Sims brothers, Ross and Mick, at Kookaburra Farms.

“We commissioned something that suits us, and could be manufactured in town,’’ Sally said.

A YEAR OF CHANGE

The past year has been a time to take stock of what we do on the land - be open to new ideas and be resilient in a difficult period of time where we just never know what’s around the corner. There are opportunities waiting but at the same time it’s important to retain old skills and knowledge.

Hang onto the knowledge, experience and history behind what we’ve already achieved, knowing that there will be a way forward.

At Maleny Cheese, success has also come through collaboration and being an engaged member of the community.

That lies ahead for graduates of Gympie State High School.

Our region has so many niche farms and boutique producers, whether they be breweries, dairies, cheesemakers, distillers, producers of exotic fruits or smallgoods.

The landscape is changing, with the regenerative farming practices reducing erosion, retaining water on properties longer, better use of nutrients and less reliance on chemicals.

People have really acknowledged the value of good, local and available produce.

It is up to us as consumers to support our local food producers, our distribution networks and retailers, and show our appreciation for what they contribute.

Gympie State High School head of department for agricultural studies and marine sciences, Jon Hansen (right) with Jess Thompson, Jorja McIntyre, Mitchell Window, Sophie Tramacchi and Jade Hanson. 302151

Gympie State High School farm. 302151

Work-life balance: Obi Obi Dairy. 264807

Obi Obi Dairy. 264807

Dancers set to shine bright

By Angela Norval

Some sensational talent has been showcased on the stage of the Shalom College Performing Arts Centre as part of the In2Dance Summer School and will culminate in a public showcase this evening.

Funded by Arts Queensland and the Bundaberg Regional Council through the Regional Arts Development Fund, this summer school has provided a week of dance workshops led by industry professionals for 60 local dancers aged six to 17 years.

Bundaberg Combined Ballet Association president Danni Stranieri said for dancers to participate in workshops with industry professionals, they most often need to travel to a metropolitan area.

“We are proud to bring three incredible artists to Bundaberg to work with our young dancers and give them an opportunity they would not normally have access to,” Mrs Stranieri said.

“The In2Dance Summer School has not been run since 2019 due to Covid and would not have been able to return without funding through the Regional Arts Development Fund as this funding allows us to reduce the cost of participation and also offer scholarships for young dancers experiencing inequity or hardship.

“The workshops were advertised publicly and open to all local dancers, prioritising Bundaberg participants before opening to dancers in the rest of the state.

“Workshop space was limited to ensure optimum quality of experience and scholarships were awarded upon application and all nine applicants were successful.

“The In2Dance Summer School is a wonderful opportunity for dancers from different schools and studios to come together, learn together and perform together.

“There are no other local opportunities that exist of this nature and it’s great to bring the Bundaberg dance community together to celebrate the incredible talent as a united front.

“We would like to thank Arts Queensland and the Bundaberg Regional Council for their support through the Regional Arts Development Fund, and our Platinum Sponsors of Shalom College and Gypsy-Leigh Productions for their in-kind support throughout 2023.”

Over the course of the week dancers have been learning from three industry professionals from Phluxus 2 Dance Collective across three genres of dance - Dr Nerida Matthaei in Contemporary, Louise Rodrigues in Hip Hop and Dan Venz in Broadway Jazz.

Organisers tried to bring artists that specialise in genres and styles that local dancers enjoy and thrive in, but that also push the boundaries of what they may have already learned and experienced in their own studio or school environment.

“The showcase on the final night is a true testament to their adaptability, resilience and

grit as they perform a series or routines across all three dance genres that they have learned and refined in less than a week.”

Phluxus2 Dance Collective’s Dr Nerida Matthaei said having grown up dancing in Canberra, the memories she has and much of the reason she fell in love with dance was about the teachers she had.

“I found inspiration in their creative process and their own passion for the art form and now for me as a professional artist it is really important to give back to our community and share our skills, our knowledge and our passion with the dancers of the future,” she said.

“Projects like this where we get to work in an intensive period with young dancers and artists is so important and if we can pass on some things, we love about the art form it might also encourage, inspire and celebrate their own love for the art form.”

Having come to Bundaberg for another project before, Dr Matthaei said she already had an understanding of how excellent the artists of the region are.

“I told Louise and Dan that in this region the dancers are quite sophisticated in their knowledge of their art form and their skill level.

“There are quite a lot of dance studios in the region providing some excellent dance training and really great environments for young dancers.

“I have found all students very professional, courteous and generous and there is a real sense of energy in the room as we cultivate this community that celebrates creativity.

“I feel privileged to come here and be a part of this school which is important for the future of these dancers and they have worked exceptionally hard.

“The showcase will be a celebration of young artists and a wonderful opportunity for them to share with their family and friends what they have achieved throughout the week.”

For 15-year-old dancer Saige Jacobs she has enjoyed learning the different styles and variations of dance genres through professional teachers.

“I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity as it gives me an insight into what the professional world of dance would be like and I am so very excited for the showcase,” she said.

Dancer, 13-year-old Hayley McKeown shared Saige’s excitement for being able to learn from professionals in the industry.

“I have really enjoyed exploring the different dance styles and I am very thankful to have this opportunity to learn from people who have experienced the professional dance industry before; so, they can teach us what to expect if we want to go down that career path,” she said.

The excitement and energy was definitely radiating from six-year-old dancer Lara Johnson who was happy to learn so many new things from the Phluxus2 Dance Collective team, highlighting that out of what she learned in contemporary, hip hop and jazz, hip hop was definitely her favourite.

“The In2Dance Summer School is a bit spe-

cial; I have really enjoyed it and would do it again,” she said.

“I have remembered to always do the best I can and am so looking forward to the showcase.”

The In2Dance Summer School Showcase will be held at the Shalom Performing Arts Centre tonight from 6.30pm.

Phluxus2 Dance Collective’s Nerida Matthaei with Bundaberg Combined Ballet Association president Danni Stranieri, and Phluxus2 Dance Collective’s Louise Rodrigues and Dan Venz.

Lilah Hall, Jenna Knott, Lani Plath and Bella Mallett were very happy to learn from such professional teachers.

Bundaberg dancers were proud to be a part of the In2Dance Summer School workshops.

Pictures: TAHLIA FACER

Live bands bring the music

By Angela Norval

The Bundaberg region’s music scene just keeps getting better and better and that is set to be showcased on 21 January at The Old Bundy Tavern when five original live bands hit the stage.

Tobias Horton highlighted that a collective of musicians under the banner ECA Productions had come together to put on East Coast Alternative, which is a night of music, showcasing the best in local and Queensland original music.

After the incredible groundswell and excitement towards local original music, whipped up by the Triple M Battle of the Bands and the fact that there was nowhere for original music to play, a group of local musicians including Joey Ikonomou and Tobias Horton (INEFFIGY), Andrew Strehlau (Stroidz and S and S Audio), Greg Meade (God Hunter), Rob Elkin and Alex Gasparich ( Exotic Potion Cookies) and in association with Crowned Ruckus, worked to find a new home for original Bundaberg music and that was upstairs at the Old Bundy Tavern, who even have an INEFFIGY cocktail.

With the line-up for this event including The Marshall Brothers, Snake Bite Whisky, The Purple Hills, INEFFIGY and Systematic Machine, Tobias said the original show was decided on good old-fashioned word of mouth.

“We are proud have lots of original bands both local and all across Queensland that want to come play and this show is a great mix of slide guitar blues, classic rock, smooth alternative rock and a touch of rock sleaze,” he said.

“Being able to mix our local talent with that of bands from across Queensland really helps others to see what we have here locally and also wins new fans for those that make the effort to come play in Bundy.

“We are appreciative that The Old Bundy Tavern have given original local music a chance, because that’s all we want, as musicians.

“We just want a place to play, a place we’re local talent can showcase and develop their skills and live show.

“Being able to provide great live entertainment means everything to us and we are all doing this off our own backs because we believe in the talented musicians in theWide Bay area.“Alex Gasparich from Exotic Potion Cookies and Crowned Ruckus had been working his butt off for years, supporting the alternative scene in the Wide Bay, but when the venues dried up, we decided to work together.

“There are so many talented musicians and we have so many incredible bands in thisWide Bay scene , we just want others to be able to see that talent too.”

Systematic Machine includes Matt on guitar and vocals, Aaron on lead guitar, Lachlan on bass and Glen on drums providing a mix between Smashing Pumpkins and Deftones.

Band member Matt Oliver said they were really riffy but dynamically clean and heavy drawing on their musical influences which included bands such as Basement and Loathe.

“Having an event like this presented by East Coast Alternative is really great for us because

it’s an opportunity to connect with musicians we haven’t played with before and I run a lot of gigs in Mackay and make a point of bringing bands up that haven’t been this way and I think it will really strengthen the scene as a whole,” he said.

“Our set will bring energy and thick riffs direct from the dark tropical rainforests of the Whitsundays and will have audiences grooving, this is a guarantee.”

As the name suggests, the Marshall Brothers includes Isaac Marshall on guitar and vocals, Kane Marshall on drums and vocals and Luke Marshall on bass and vocals.

They have been playing together for five years with their original music leaning towards a heavier rock/old school 80’s metal sound, so naturally their influences include Iron Maiden, Metallica, Joe Satriani and Jimi Hendrix.

Isaac said it was an honour to be placed on

a bill with such amazing musicians.

“We don’t expect to lower that standard despite our ages, 18, 16 and 13 because we love playing with great musicians, as it really makes us aim for the same amount of professionalism they show on stage,” he said.

“From our set, people can expect some hard rock, heavy metal and punk rock originals.”

Snake Bite Whisky is made up of Jay R on vocals, Stacii Blake on bass, Danny Jackson on guitars and for this show we have KJ Mcintosh on drums.

Asked to describe their sound, Jay R said they were a sleaze rock band but for people who aren’t familiar with that term, think Guns n’ Roses style sunset strip eighties rock with a healthy dose of heavy metal and punk influence.

“Bands that have influenced our sound are Guns n’ Roses, Motorhead, Backyard Babies

“Playing live is always a blast.

“For us that’s the beating heart of rock‘n roll and we are stoked to be coming to Bundaberg for the first time ever and to be playing with a killer diverse line-up.

“It’s crazy that we have played at theWhisky A Go Go in Hollywood but never in Bundaberg so it’s way overdue.

“We will be providing a set that is a high octane, high energy, loud, sexy rock show; a pulsating non-stop party with dazzling guitar solos.

“It gets sweaty and insane; we give everything every show and I can guarantee you’ll have a wild time.”

Doors open for an epic night of music from 6pm with $20 door entry.

Keely ready to make the stage her own at Tamworth

have the opportunity to perform throughout Tamworth alongside some of the best in the industry like

Throughout

70’s and 80’s.

Keely said she loves to perform and connect with her audiences.

“I have been fortunate to play and perform throughout the Bundaberg region and to now also be able to perform at the Tamworth Country Music Festival is simply incredible,” she said.

“I am over the moon at the fact that I will

On Sunday 15 January Keely will have her own show at the Riverside Stage and Takeaway, while also being a part of the Tamworth Songwriters Association Showcase on a number of days throughout the festival and being a part of Bill Chambers sessions.

With powerful vocals, country storytelling and a hint of pop, Keely is a performer to look out for as she works hard on her song writing and guitar on a daily basis and is looking forward to releasing her own music in the near future.

and Sex Pistols to name a few so our music –it’s loud, full throttled, non-politically correct rock ‘n roll.”

INEFFIGYareoneofthebandsbringingplentyofenergytothestageaspartofEastCoastAlternativepresentsevent.

SystematicMachine’ssoundiscleanandheavy.

TheMarshallBrothersdefinitelydon’tlack anythingwhenitcomestotalentandbringinga greatsoundtothestage.

By Angela Norval

Having been a singer/songwriter since eight years of age, Keely Ellen is set to showcase her talent amongst some of the country’s best at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

her career, Keely has continued to be inspired by many genres including country, modern country, 60’s,

Bill Chambers and I really can’t wait to catch up with friends while also having the opportunity to make new ones.”

Singer/songwriterKeelyEllenisproudtobeperformingattheTamworthCountryMusic Festival.

Fresh finds at Rusty Gate

By Angela Norval

When it comes to community markets, there is nothing better than being able to access fresh produce from the farm or delicious options shared by local producers.

This is continuing to be the case at The Rusty Gate Community Market in Childers, with the next market brimming with a variety of local fruit and vegetables, honey, jams and preserves, arts and crafts, plants and more.

Childer’s Fine Foods owners Mark and Nat Albert said they were surrounded by the best produce growers in the country as well as local crafts people, so were pleased to have brought the markets to Childers.

“These markets are a great opportunity to share the enthusiastic vibe of the region of sharing local and we are excited to see where the markets go after the initial success of our first markets for Christmas,” Nat said.

Bundaberg BBQ Rubs are a business that welcome the opportunity to showcase their BBQ rubs which are gluten free, preservative, additive, MSG, soy and dairy free and downright delicious.

Available will be four BBQ Rub blends were are available individually or in a great gift pack which includes one of each blend and are ideal for barbecuing, grilling and low slow smokers, but can also be used when cooking in the fry pan or oven.

Bundaberg BBQ Rubs Emily Cleaver said amidst the school holidays and with Australia Day coming up, these rubs were perfect for the barbecue if entertaining.

“We have found the new community market well managed and something fresh for Childers that encourages supporting the many small businesses we have in our region,” she said.

“It is lovely to have opportunities to bring

the community together and The Rusty Gate Grove Bar and Winery offers a casual yet relaxed shopping experience by having an onsite restaurant and bar available, while also a natural, outdoor environment and lush green grassed open area amongst the vineyard to explore and take in the scenic views.”

Another exciting addition to the markets is Brother Brother Organics which produce pasture raised eggs in Maryborough and is owned by Amanda and Nick Kuhn.

They initially decided to start producing premium quality pasture raised eggs when they were both working nine to five office jobs in Alice Springs when their son Jackson was born in 2018.

This encouraged Amanda and Nick to move back to their hometown in Maryborough to reconnect with the family farm and spend more time with their children.

Amanda said her parents currently run 100 head of cattle on the farm and raising chickens also on the farm complimented each other nicely.

“The demand for free range produce was starting off when we came across pastured raised egg farming,” she said.

“Ethical treatment of our hens is extremely important to us along with utilising sustainable farming practices.

“Our hens are never locked inside their caravans and spend their days foraging through our pasture.

“We move our hens every week into a new paddock that has been left to regenerate for over months.

We have a very low stocking density of 40 hens per hectare compared to 10,000 per hectare for free range egg farming.

“Healthy chickens lay healthy eggs and our system of farming ensures that we are providing the best possible environment for our

Still celebrating Christmas at Walla Street Skate Park

By Angela Norval

While Christmas may have come and gone, there is still plenty of celebrating on Thursday 19 January at the Walla Street Skate Park.

Yourtown has welcomed the opportunity to join in the fun of Christmas in the Skate Park to add their support to this youth focussed event that will provide a fun, free entertainment option for the school holidays.

Yourtown business manager – Bundaberg, Skye Zielke said they believe it’s imperative to keep youth engaged in local events to create friendships, to assist with their mental wellbeing and to showcase the many local community organisations that are available to support local youth.

“yourtown works together with young people to uncover and supercharge their strengths, providing the practical training and skills development they need, when they need it,” she said.

“Local youth aged 15 to 24 years of age can turn to yourtown for practical support to secure a job, refer to education or training, find local job opportunities, or connect with local community services as yourtown offers a wrap-around service to create meaningful pathways for local young people.”

The event runs from 10am to 4pm and there will be music, sausages, a street artist battle and even prizes for the best dressed following the Christmas theme.

hens to thrive.”

It is also a great learning experience considering Amanda and Nick have three children under four who love coming to the markets and have been learning to collect and pack eggs on the farm, while also allowing them to experience where food comes from and to understand what their parents do for a living.

“Honestly the response to our eggs at these and other markets has been nothing short of unbelievable.

“Four years ago, when we started selling our pasture raised eggs through local markets, we would sell 50 dozen a week.

“Currently we sell over 500 dozen every week and frequently sell out.

“The market organisers are great supporters of local family-owned businesses to attend the Rusty Gate Community Market.

“They actively source and seek our businesses that make handmade products or produce local fruit and vegetables.

“The market is making a massive effort to reconnect people in the local community with local producers.”

Another welcome addition to the Rusty Gate Community Market is Cecilia ‘CC’ DiazPetersen from CC’s Kitchen and Petersen’s Farm.

CC’s Kitchen began in March 2011, when CC was producing so many tomatoes in her parent’s garden and decided to make tomato relish and green tomato pickle to give to family and friends.

With a friend highlighting that it tasted so good she should start selling it, CC started selling at markets on the weekend, meeting her husband and farmer Greg.

Moving to the farm she saw first-hand how much produce goes to waste when slightly imperfect due to shape, size or blemishes, so she

started saving it which also researching and developing new recipes.

CC said her range stands out because customers know the produce comes straight from the paddock to jars especially as she creates old-fashioned condiments including Gooseberry Jam, Pineapple Jam, Melon Lemon Jam, Guava Jelly, Cauliflower Pickle and Cumquat Marmalade.

“Our All-Things Rosella is quite unique because it boasts the biggest range of Rosella inspired products both inside and outside of Australia,” she said.

“I was introduced to Rosella by my husband who shared his Nana Petersen’s Rosella jam recipe.

“As the demand grew, we planted more Rosellas so I can keep up with demand and since then over 30 new Rosella inspired products have been created as part of the AllThings Rosella range with no preservatives, no artificial colours and flavours.

“Depending on what produce is available from our farm I love to create new recipes.

“At markets like these it is wonderful to not only get positive responses from our products but also to have customers share some great memories such as their families picking and shelling Rosellas with grandma or making scones with Mum to be paired with homemade jam.

“The Rusty Gate Community Market is filled with artisans, producers, farmers and makers and it is all about loving local, supporting local and buying local.”

The Rusty Gate Community Market, Childers is on Sunday 22 January from 8am to midday.

The Rusty Gate Grove Bar and Winery’s Rylee Carlile said visitors were welcome to explore the venue while supporting local businesses at the community markets.

Christmas in the Skate Park is a great event for local youth at the Walla Street Skate Park.

Brother Brother Organics Nick and Amanda Kuhn appreciate the opportunity to share their premium quality pasture raised eggs at the markets.

The Rusty Gate Community Market in Childers also has the extensive range from CC’s Kitchen and Petersen’s Farm.

Cane2Coral on the horizon

By Angela Norval

While there is still plenty of time to get training in, anticipation is already building in the community with the Cane2Coral scheduled for Sunday 23 July.

After the event not being able to be held since 2019 due to Covid restrictions and change of management, event coordinator Terry Harlick said considerable work had been put in behind the scenes to make this a memorable community event.

“Our social media has exploded with interactions from past and new participants as well as the general public, eager to hear more information in regards to both the new course and new distances,” he said.

“While the event is on the calendar for Sunday 23 July, we can not release course details at this stage as we are consulting with the relevant stakeholders to obtain approvals, but hope to release these as soon as possible.”

Given that the Cane2Coral is an event focused both on health, exercise and also the community, Mr Harlick highlighted that it was designed to bring the entire community together.

“It is an event where families, relatives, friends, neighbours, workmates and likeminded people have a chance to connect.

Whilst the event’s primary purpose is fund-

raising, the benefits of the event can often be the catalyst for a positive lifestyle change for many of the individuals who participate, as well as the general public.

“Whilst the event is only for a single day, the training in the lead up to the event delivers these benefits on a consistent basis by getting people outside, by getting families engaging in social and recreational activities together as a family unit, by motivating individuals towards their goals and more, in fact, the overall benefit of fun run such as the Cane2Coral to individuals within our community is immeasurable.”

With almost a quarter of the event participants travelling from outside of Bundaberg to attend, the Cane2Coral also puts Bundaberg back on the tourism destination planner for individuals and groups who follow this style of events.

“Having our region highlighted by such an iconic event, and annually, provides a massive boost to our region by way of tourism, and provides ongoing benefits to local business through an increased spend over the few days that participants are staying to attend.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our proud sponsors including BundabergToday for coming onboard already in support of the Cane2Coral.

“We still have several sponsorship opportunities available and interested parties can contact us via phone on 0447 296 297 or by email sponsors@cane2coral.com.au”

Bargara embraces the community side of parkrun

By Angela Norval

Visitors to Bargara on New Year’s Day might have wondered if they had taken a step back in time considering Freddie Mercury, aka Steve McLellan and a number of costumed people were taking part in the Bargara parkrun.

Bargara parkrun’s Phillip Dunkley said with parkrun continuing to be a do it at your own pace event and free to attend, the community continued to grow with over 455 events across Australia.

“Bargara parkrun continues to be a very welcoming inclusive event for our community, we always receive great feedback from visitors about how friendly and encouraging our volunteers are,” he said.

“Bargara also has a natural beauty as it includes both coastal and pathways into our Barolin reserve area towards Mon Repo.

“Our New Year’s Day event was the best way to celebrate another successful year for Bargara parkrun and because we missed out on our last tutu day in 2022 due to a rain event, we thought we would make NewYear’s Day a Tutu day or anything colourful.

“We had lots of enthusiastic parkies get dressed up for the event and some even made the extra effort as they may have had a personal parkrun milestone that day as well, we had one parky get dressed up as Freddie Mercury as he was doing his 100th parkrun.

“Parkrun continues to grow as a worldwide community as it has the same core values anywhere you go, with even more counties becoming part of the parkrun family every year. People know if they go to a parkrun anywhere in the world, they know it will be the same as what we do here in Bargara.”

Given that the region has continued to have parkrun for a number of years firstly in Bundaberg, then Bargara and now Elliott Heads, more and more larger personal milestones are being achieved by parkies.

There has been the 250 parkruns being completed, more 100, 50 and 25 parkruns being completed every weekend and also seeing an increase in personal volunteering milestones as well with some 250, 100, 50 and 25 being achieved.

With Bargara parkrun getting set for their fifth birthday it further proves that parkrun continues to be well accepted and part of the Bargara community.

“We have up to 300 people regularly attending Bargara parkrun every Saturday morning, we always say it’s the best way to kickstart your weekend.

“As our birthday falls on the Australia day weekend, we always like to have an Aussie

theme for the day.

“We will definitely be flying the Australian and parkrun flags proud on this day; you never know there may be a few thongs being thrown as well.

“We would just like to thank the Bargara community for helping parkrun stay strong

and vibrant in our community along with everyone that volunteers every weekend to ensure we continue to have parkrun in Bargara.”

For those looking to try a parkrun, the Bargara parkrun takes places every Saturday at 7am at Neilson Park, Fred Courtice Avenue Bargara.

Bargara parkrun starts at 7am sharp with a first timers briefing being held at 6:45am.

Preferably organisers would love for everyone to be registered, they just need to go to the parkrun Australia website to register, this gives you a personal barcode that can be used at any parkrun in the world.

Large numbers of participants continue to be a part of Bargara parkrun.

New Year’s Day even saw a Freddie Mercury sighting.

Due to not being competitive, parkrun is a welcome option for health and exercise and community spirit.

New Year’s Day was a wonderful opportunity for Bargara parkrun participants to dress up and share the fun.

“Physical health, mental health, fitness, weight loss and team building are just some of the benefits that such an event brings to our community.

Cane2Coral is set to be an exciting event in 2022 with new course details.

Riding a wave of happiness

By Angela Norval

Little Dreamers Bundaberg program facilitator Dee Riley could barely contain her excitement on Monday 9 January as she witnessed young carers share in the excitement of learning to surf at Bargara with the support of volunteers from Stoked Surf School.

For children who deal with some hard situations on a daily basis, for Dee it was wonderful to allow them a day all about them with a wealth of activities in such a beautiful backdrop.

Little Dreamers is a leading Young Carer organisation operating throughout Australia supporting young people who provide unpaid care for a family member affected by disability, chronic or mental illness, substance abuse or frail age.

SurfChurch Stoked operates a school holiday surfing/activity program for four days over each school holidays and provide a fantastic day of fun in the great outdoors for these children.

SurfChurch Bargara resident minister Reverend Jennifer Lynn said as a not-for-profit organisation it was wonderful to create opportunities for children to experience surfing and the ocean as part of a whole day program.

“We promote confidence, self-esteem and community building and it is completely free and run by coaches and leaders who are all volunteers,” she said.

“We look forward to working with Little Dreamers in the future and being able to help them experience surfing, the ocean, an informative and fun session led by Nick Hodgeson from Surf Life Saving; painted surfboard fins and decorated a tote bag, as part of the beachside experience.

“Joey Caruana from The Beachmill supported the program again with complimentary coffee for all volunteers.

The regular Stoked program will also be running next week with over 100 children attending over this time.

It was appreciated by organisers and the children alike to know they had someone there at all times

It really was a day of fun and excitement for participants from Little Dreamers.

Thankfully the conditions were quite good at Neilsons Beach for riding the waves. Success!

Stoked Surf School coaches and leaders were happy to share a wonderful day of fun with students from Little Dreamers. Picture: CONTRIBUTED

Participants confidence continued to grow.

Children from Little Dreamers were well supported by Stoked Surf School coaches while learning to surf.

Pictures: ANTHONY NORVAL

Volunteers from Stocked Surf School embrace the opportunity for children to enjoy the ocean.

from Stoked Surf School.

Gardening

Neil Fisher

This tree is worth a try

Have you been to Cairns and admired very unusual flowering Handkerchief Tree planted as street tree in the area around the Cairns Esplanade?

Recently Olivia of Elliott Heads inquired if she could grow this tree in her garden.

The Handkerchief Tree or Saraca Thaipingensis is an attractive ornamental tree grown for its lovely foliage and flowers.

The tree is named for long hanging pendulous new growth that resembles a Handkerchief.

And will become a magnet for bird and Butterflies attracted to the rich nectar of the flowers.

The fragrant flowers start bright yellow in colour that gradually turns to orange and then red as they mature.

New growth of leaves is glossy green and soft to touch.

The Handkerchief Tree has been well used as a winter flowering street tree in Cairns. I would definitely give the Handkerchief Tree a try but the slightly colder Winters here might be a problem to success.

Climbing Pitcher Plant

Have ever thought of growing a tropical carnivorous plant?

There are dozens of species of tropical carnivorous plants available to gardens these days.

I find the uniqueness of the Pitcher Plant an attraction for growing.

When you look at the Pitcher Plants your first thought is that these exotic plants are only for the dedicated enthusiast, but there are some hardy varieties.

The Climbing Pitcher Plant or Nepenthes is a variety of pitcher plant from South East Asia and can now be found from northern Australia to Thailand.

The plant itself is a large creeper and the vines that can climb to the top of a 15m high tree.

Pitcher plants come from a range of environments and growing conditions and some are very hardy while other quite sensitive.

While Pitcher plants are a tropical plant species some varieties are found in arid regions.

The foliage of almost all varieties of climbing pitcher plants look the same but the pitcher is in each and every species is unique and in many cases quite spectacular with incredible shapes.

The plant produces large green leaves and after maturity the leaf develops a pitcher at its end.

The pitcher of these plants can vary in size from only a few centimetres to over a foot or 30cm long.

These pitchers fill with liquid as the pitcher grows, and when the liquid is ready to digest its prey, the lid opens and the trap is ready.

Some are so large that they can hold almost a litre of fluid.

The pitcher can catch flies, mosquitos, wasps and bees, and even moths, rats and small birds have been found in large traps.

But do not fertilise with flies or insects as that will eventually kill your plant.

Some plants have pitchers that almost touch the ground so they can catch crawling insects.

Others can be found hanging down from the canopy of tall trees so they can catch flying insects.

If you find your plant only has foliage but then will not produce a pitcher it might require slightly better conditions with increased humidity.

When re-potting your Pitcher plant you should use a mixture of 50 per cent Pine Bark Fines, 40 per cent Coco Peat and 10 per cent Perlite.

Always wet the potting mix thoroughly before potting your plant into it.

The best time to re-pot your plants is in the spring when the plants are doing most of their growing.

It is best to use a pot to suit the size of the plant, giving it enough room to grow for the following year, but not too big that it dwarfs the plant.

You should never let your Pitcher Plant dry out.

An early morning and late afternoon misting of the plants is best.

During Winter only a light watering will be required. If your water is good enough to drink straight from the tap, then this is suitable for your plant.

Pitcher plants are either male or female,

and cannot be self-pollinated, you will need one of each sex to pollinate.

The plant will need at least a couple of hours of natural light a day, as Pitcher plants will only flower in a high light situation.

During winter your Pitcher plant will go into a dormancy period.

This is a natural occurrence and the plant must go through this period in order to stay alive.

These exotic plants, when mature, make a spectacular sight and are worthwhile trying here, but they may not be found in most nurseries.

Did you know...

In the Borneo and the Philippines, large pitchers are sometimes used for cooking rice and vegetables.

Nepenthes is known as The Climbing Pitcher Plant.

Saraca Thaipingensis foliage.

Nepenthes come from a range of environments.

Saraca Thaipingensis.

The plant itself is a large creeper.

The stunning Saraca Thaipingensis.

Sweet taste of Isis history

sion of humpies, he carted all the timber from Bundaberg via the Maryborough-road, Abingdon, and Horton, at considerable expense.

Extracted from The Isis Scrub: Its History and Progress by the Special Reporter of the‘Bundaberg Mail’ 5/1893 – North Isis.

After travelling over the district previously described, during which time headquarters were either at Doolbi or Childers, we shifted camp to Mr E. Barnes’s at North Isis, that gentleman kindly entertaining your humble servant, and giving me every assistance in regard to routes to take, and other valuable aid.

To reach his comfortable and commodious residence, the road from Childers turns to the right between Ridgeway’s and Boisen’s, already described, and keeps in a northerly direction for six miles, when Barnes’ School is reached. A turn to the right again, and Mr Barnes’s house is arrived at in about a third of a mile.

Mr J.K. Lucas’s is the first selection passed on the road north. Its area is 160 acres, 140 of which are scrub; 40 acres have been cleared, and 30 are under cane. None was cut for crushing, but 10 acres were ‘downed’ for plants.

At the back of his selection, Mr J. Hawe has 120 acres, all scrub, 15 acres being cleared, but there is no cultivation, and Mr A. Dunne has a similar area, all scrub, but under no cultivation.

On the opposite side of the road from Lucas’s, Mr G. Hawkins has 99 acres, 40 acres being scrub land. He has cleared 40 acres, and 20 are under cane. This season about 12 acres of cane were crushed, and went 25 tons to the acre, although it was hardly a year old.

Above the last mentioned, Mr J. Strong has 160 acres, 70 being scrub land.There are 30 acres cleared, but only half-an-acre is under cane for plants. To the north of Strong’s are Messrs. Reevie and Boutell’s selections.

Mr Reevie has 160 acres, 70 being scrub. 12 acres are cleared, and 10 acres of cane have been planted this year for the first time. Mr L. Boutell has 133 acres, 40 acres being scrub land; 20 acres are cleared.

Last year six acres were planted with cane, but no crushing has yet taken place.

He is now clearing more scrub – about 10 acres – for cane. To the north of Lucas’s, Mr B. Louis has 100 acres, 80 being scrub land. He has cleared 35 acres, 10 of which are under cane.

This season he crushed the growth of 7 acres, not quite 12 months old, and despite the fact there was a lot of misses in the field, a return of 26 tons to the acre was the result.

The cane grows freely on the land, some of that crushed being 8 feet high in the stem.

A further 10 tons will be put in at once, and should a mill be erected anywhere near Mr Louis would put all his land under sugar.

He will gladly give 10 acres for a mill site. There is plenty of water for every requirement of the selection. Mr John Fleming holds 80 acres, all scrub, and has 30 acres cleared. About 9 acres are planted with cane, and the remainder of the cleared land – 11 acres – is also being put under cane.

Gradually all the scrub will be cleared for sugar-growing. Mr Fleming has a natty residence on his land. Mr R. Smith has 40 acres adjoining, 35 being scrub land. There are 8 acres cleared, 8 being under cane for plants. He is felling more scrub.

Mr J. Louis has a selection of 120 acres.

There are 55 acres of scrub, which is all fallen. He has 15 acres of cane, which he will send to Cordalba mill next season.

This season he crushed one acre at Doolbi, the same going 26 tons. Opposite the two Louis’s Mr J.E. Noakes has a block of 399 acres, 300 of which are scrub. There were 40 acres cleared previously, but it is grown over again.

Out of this area Mr Beale has 12 acres of scrub, cleared, and going under cane. To the west of Mr B. Louis’s Mr Fredericksen has 104 acres, 100 being scrub. Next season 35 acres will be under cane, and the year after 40 acres.

Some cane growing alongside the road, about 12 months old, is very strong and healthy in appearance, and shows that although the land has a steep slope, it is well adapted to the purpose it has been put to. In front of the neat and commodious residence, pineapples, bananas, grape vines, &c., grown most luxuriantly.To the north of Fredericksen’s Mr. J. Taylor has 93 acres, 80 being scrub. He has cleared 35 acres, 8 being under cane.There will be no more cane grown ‘till it be seen how the car jumps’ in regard to the mill, as Mr Taylor puts it.

What he has planted will be taken to Cordalba next and the following seasons for crushing. To the west of the two last mentioned areas is the original selection, of 640 acres, of Mr. P. Ramsay, but it now belongs, it is stated, to a Banking Corporation. The whole of it standing scrub, and the land is of a splendid nature. The scrub naturally harbors and immense quantity of wallabies and other pests, and the neighbouring farmers would, therefore, be glad to see the are cleared and cultivated.

Coming back again to the main road, and proceeding a short distance northerly, we come to Mrs Price’s holding of 100 acres, 60 of which are scrub.There have been 20 acres cleared, and 8 put under cane. This cane will be crushed at the Cordalba mill, but no more will put in until better mill arrangements can be made.

There is plenty of water on the land. Opposite, Mr. G.F. Gataker has 230 acres, 60 of which are scrub. There are 20 acres cleared, but nothing is being cultivated thereon.

A road to the left round Mrs Price’s takes you to Mr J. Smith’s. He has 120 acres, 118 being scrub; there are 32 acres cleared, 3½ of which are under cane. Mr. Smith arrived here from Bingera seven years ago, and has a thorough knowledge of sugar cultivation. Close by Mr. James Frampton has 100 acres, all scrub.

He has cleared 20 acres, but has not put in any cane, nor will he until there is a mill handy upon which he can depend. A well has been sunk on the selection, and a plentiful supply of water has been obtained by going down 20 feet. The lower ten feet of sub-stratum was solid rock

– blue stones cemented together with conglomerate. In the driest times of the year there has always been a depth of 8 feet of water in the well.

Returning again to the main road, on the right-hand side is Mr J. See’s 115 acres, 40 being scrub.There are 30 acres cleared, 10 acres being under cane, and 5 more will be put in immediately. Opposite, Mr John Mackenzie has 154 acres, 129 of which are scrub.

He has cleared 20 acres, planted 6 with cane, and will put in more cane if the Cordalba mill can take it. The selection is mostly high sloping land, and there is consequently plenty of water in the low-lying parts. Mr J. Harney has 115 acres, 100 being scrub. There are 17 acres cleared, 5 being under cane. Mr Harney intends growing no more maize. Mr Coolee has 60 acres, 40 of scrub.

There are 15 acres cleared, and 3 acres are being put under cane, and more will go in as soon as the present is off the ground. What is known as Barnes’s School is at the end of the main road previous to it bending to the left towards Knockroe and the Cordalba mill. Besides being a State School, it is also a Post Office, mails going and arriving twice a week. Mr Deely is both schoolmaster and postmaster.

To the right, about a third of a mile distant, Mr E. Barnes owns 120 acres, 60 being scrub, cleared, and 25 acres are under sugar cane; the remainder of the scrub land will be put under cane next season.

The larger part of that now growing is 18 months old, and is a most compact body of lofty and well-matured cane. It was the first attempt at sugar-growing (excepting at Knockroe) in the North Isis, and when crushed at Messrs. Penny and Co.’s mill the coming season it should be a very high return.

One stool of the cane was trashed during my sojourn at Mr Barnes’, thereupon showing 18 sticks of uniform growth, tall, thick, and straight. The farm may be stated to be the outside of the good sugar-growing soil, both to the direct north and east, the northern fence being close upon its extremity, as at that point wattle scrub succeeds.

The soil which grows this wattle is of a dirty brown, and although capable of raising sugar, the crop on such soil has proved to be considerably inferior to that planted on the genuine scrub soil (red basalt); it is, in fact, more adapted to cereal crops than anything else.

Mr Barnes’ scrub land is beautifully level, so that heavy rains do not wash away the soil. Mr Barnes is well-known in Bundaberg in consequence of his connection for some time with the late firm of W.B. O’Connell and Co.

He took up his selection some 7 or 8 years ago, and, realising that it would be cheaper in the long run to put up a residence worthy the name at once, instead of a periodical succes-

He has since realised the wisdom of the step, as he is able to enjoy comfort and ease on returning from a hard day’s work, and appreciate to its utmost that ‘There is a spot on earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest’. The rooms are lofty, a couple of feet of height having been saved from the roof by sloping the lining upwards from the wallplates. There is a spacious balcony all around, which is made delightfully attractive in the summer time by the thick creepers and grape vines which totally shut out the sun’s hot rays. The forest part of the selection is utilised as a paddock for the cattle and horses, there being plenty of water, and nice, succulent herbage. Not only the buildings, but everything connected with the farm, is kept in splendid trim, exhibiting at once good and capable management. Both with the white men and the ‘boys’ everything goes smoothly, as they are not only well treated, but also properly considered. In fact, if all labourers were treated as they are here, there would neither be strikes nor grumbling, and the everyday life of the workers would be enjoyment rather than a drudge.

To the north of the abovementioned, Mr A. Campbell has 120 acres, 50 of which are wattle scrub. He has 17 acres under cane, but there is not that sturdiness of growth about it that makes his southerly neighbour’s so luxuriant. Next season the cane will be crushed at the Cordalba mill, and the selector intends gradually to put the whole 50 acres under cane if it can be taken. The soil, it is found, is difficult to keep clean. Mr Campbell has grown wheat on his farm, and had a return of 21 bushels to the acre. We were shown a few bundles of it and rubbed out an ear or two, our opinion being that it was either harvested too green, or else it was a bad variety of seed, it being small and shrivelly. Around the homestead, oranges, peaches, and grapes grow luxuriantly and well.

Mr Campbell came to the Isis from Duncraggan, Woongarra Scrub, where he was an overseer for the Messrs. Cran. Previous to that he had experience on the Mary River.

Turning back as far as Barnes’ School, we come to Mr Alex Mackenzie’s 120 acres, 90 of which are scrub.

There are 40 acres cleared, and 12 planted with cane, but the remainder will also go under sugar as soon as the plants can be got in.

There is a good creek of water running through the land, which is of a ridgy nature.

To the north of Mr Mackenzie’s, Mr A. Henderson holds 120 acres, 115 of which are scrub. He has cleared 30 acres, and planted 10 with cane; next season he will have 30 acres, and as time goes on, he will put the whole 115 acres under sugar.

The north end of the scrub, said Mr Henderson, was much better soil than that at the south, besides which it was level country right through. No heavy crop corn was ever taken from his land, and the way the cane is growing shows conclusively that sugar-cane is the best product to grow on the volcanic basalt.

Mr Henderson has sunk a well and obtained plenty of water at 11 feet; it is red soil all that distance, and it goes deeper still.

Still further northward Mr W. Lachterland has 169 acres, only 30 of which are scrub. He has cleared 16 acres, and the has one and a half acres of cane growing for plants. For next season 8 acres will be planted, and, if all goes well, he will gradually put the remaining scrub land under cane.

Local historian and volunteer coordinator at the Old Pharmacy Museum, Childers, SCOTT STEDMAN continues to share some local history of the Isis sugar industry and the memorable moments.

Fredericksen’s Spring Hill farm.

Childers Cane Cutting Gang.

Isis District farm house.

Regional Fishing Holiday cheer for anglers

By Karen Simmons

There was plenty to celebrate about this holiday period and that includes our local waterways.

Plenty of big fish were reeled in across the break in our region which have been sent through to Gladstone Today.

Thanks to all of those anglers that submitted their holiday catches.

Lachlan Betts-Newby night fishing near Gladstone.

Melissa Greenbury holds a Queenie at Hot Water outlet.

Gorden Jensen with a lovely lobster in Gladstone Harbour.

Aarron Brown with a Mangrove Jack near Gladstone.

Kate Reilly with a Spangled Emperor at Sykes Reef.

Gordon Jensen with a beaut Bluey (Blackspot Tuskfish).

Lewis Samuel had a good night up the river.

Cathy Wessling shows us her catch.

Anderson - May

Margaret and Rick (dec) Anderson wish to announce the engagement of daughter Rachael to Lance May, son of Lex & Maureen May.

Congratulations!

DINGLE, David Magnus

Aged 87 years.

Late of Avoca, Bundaberg, formerly of Mount Perry. Passed away on Saturday January 7, 2023.

Beloved Husband of Christine Dingle. Dearly loved father and father-in-law of Andrew and Fiona Dingle, Matthew Dingle. Loving grandfather of Monique, Cody and Charlotte Dingle. Loved brother of John Dingle (deceased), Margaret and Len Wagner (both deceased), Constance Porter and Gordon (deceased), Graham and Lee Dingle and brother-in-law to Janet and Phil Tainton, George Croy (deceased), Anne Mullett and Jim Mullett and Uncle to their respective families.

Son of John David Percival and Mary Constance Dingle (both deceased).

‘Gone For A Look Out The Paddock’

Relatives and friends of the late David Dingle are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held at the Mount Perry Cemetery, on WEDNESDAY January 18, 2023 at 10:30am.

DES ALLEN & CO FUNERALS

7 Phoebe Crescent, Bundaberg. Phone 4153 2424

Condolences www.desallenfunerals.com.au

LODER, Noel Lang

Aged 96 years.

Late of Woodgate and formerly of Childers. Passed away at Woodgate on January 4, 2023.

Beloved husband of Dorothy (deceased). Dearly loved father and father-in-law of Stephen and Gail, Maree and Edgar, Sue and Mark, George and Christine, Barry and Katrina, Ruth and Danny. Loving grandfather of 17, great-grandfather of 19 and loved uncle of their respective families. Brother of Rose and May (both deceased). Loved brother-in-law of Helen and June.

‘Lovingly Remembered’ ‘Gone Fishing’

Relatives and friends of the late Noel Loder are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held at the Christ Church Anglican Church, Macrossan Street, Childers on MONDAY, January 16, 2023 at 11:00am, prior to interment at Childers Lawn Cemetery.

12586299-MS03-23

12586134-JW03-23

Robert Paul “Rob” REHBEIN

Aged 75 years.

Late of Bundaberg. Passed away at the Bundaberg Base Hospital on January 8th, 2023. Beloved husband of Kaye. Dearly loved father and father-in-law of Paul & Kelleigh. Loving grandfather of Daniel and Ethan. Dearly loved son of Herbert & Dulcie (both dec’d).

“Rest In Peace”

Relatives and friends of Rob and his family are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held in the Chapel, ‘Branyan Gardens’, Cummins Road, Branyan on Wednesday, January 18th, 2023 at 10:00am.

Family Owned 7 Phoebe Crescent, Bundaberg Phone 4153 2424

We Remember

HARRIS, Michael Raymond Edward December 26, 2022Aged 41

BEBENDORF, Garnet Malcolm “Garney” December 31, 2022Aged 83

WARD, Matthew William “Matt” January 1,2023Aged 40

12586323-MS03-23

Condolences

www.brownsfunerals.com.au F.C. Brown & Co. | 4151 3357 12586132-JW03-23

SMITH, Marjorie (Nee Hills)

In her 92nd year.

Sadly passed away in the Friendlies Society Private Hospital after an acute illness of 4 weeks on January 9, 2023.

Beloved wife of Cleve for 60 years. Adored and devoted mother of Ann & Brian, Graham & Marilyn, Darrel & Dawn, Bev & Rob and Nat & Kerrie. Inspirational Granny to Kevin, Greg, Gary, Michael, Matthew, Vicki, Megan, David, Luke, Chloe, Nathan, Nissa and their partners.

Great-Granny of Brodie, Jesse, Abby, Tyler, Bianca, Brayden, Braxy, Cooper, Mia, Noah, Hazel, Sophie, Jess and Maddi.

Great-great Granny of Jagger. Loved Sister and Sister-in-law of Thelma and Colin (both deceased), John (deceased) & Jeanne, Ron and Lois.

Loved Aunt of the Hills, McLachlan, Hunt and Christensen families.

‘Our Matriarch Forever’ Relatives and friends of the late Marjorie Smith are respectfully invited to attend her Funeral Service to be held at the Chapel of Des Allen & Co. Funerals, 7 Phoebe Crescent on THURSDAY, January 19, 2023 at 10:00am, prior to Interment at the Bundaberg Lawn Cemetery.

It was Marj’s wish for people to wear something including the colour red – her favourite.

DES ALLEN & CO FUNERALS

7 Phoebe Crescent, Bundaberg. Phone 4153 2424

Condolences www.desallenfunerals.com.au

V Acknowledgements

In Loving Memory of Petronella (Nel) Meerman

ROBSON, Neil James Alexander January 4, 2023Aged 83

NIELSON, Noel James January 6, 2023Aged 90

McCULLOUGH, Raymond John “Ray” January 6, 2023Aged 83

DINGLE, David Magnus January 7, 2023Aged 87

Condolences www.desallenfunerals.com.au

VALÈ

Branyan Gardens Cemetery & Crematorium

HAW, Kevin Francis January 1st, 2023

DEAN, Allan Desmond January 4th, 2023

BULLOCK, Shane January 5th, 2023

LORENZ, Beverley Irene January 5th, 2023

BARNARD, Frances Violet January 6th, 2023

PLUMB, William Richard January 7th, 2023

REHBEIN, Robert Paul January 8th, 2023

SKYRING, Peter Stephen January 10th, 2023

Now is the time to make the right decisions for you and your family.

As pre planning specialists, we can make certain that all your wishes are carried out, spending only what is needed. If you already have a funeral plan in place but no longer have complete confidence in your provider or prefer to place your trust in a locally owned and operated company, consider transferring at no cost or penalty. You may even be surprised at the cost savings you can make.

Call Bronwyn today at Browns Funerals, your locally owned and operated provider, to find out how you can make all the right decisions.

BROWNS FUNERALS AND FLEXIBLE FUNERAL BENEFITS McLean Street, Bundaberg P (07) 4151 3357 info@brownsfunerals.com.au

BRANYAN GARDENS CREMATORIUM AND ‘GARDEN OF REST’CEMETERY Cummins Road, Bundaberg P (07) 4155 1302 bundabergcrem@outlook.com 12582480-DL50-22

DES ALLEN & CO FUNERALS

7 Phoebe Crescent, Bundaberg. Phone 4153 2424

Condolences www.desallenfunerals.com.au 12586306-DL03-23

We wish to express our heartfelt thanks for the sympathy and support extended to our family during the loss of our beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother (oma). The compassion during this time of sorrow has been a great support and comfort to all of us.

Jan (John) Meerman, children and grandchildren. Bundaberg, 10.01.2023 12585978-JC03-23

Rest in Peace

For more information see www.brownsfunerals.com.au

Contact Office on 4151 3357 12586334-KJ03-23

V Funeral Services

“I don’t want to make the wrong decision for the one person who always made the right ones.”

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Brooke Wilson winner of the F500 junior A-main race.

By Brendan Bowers

The final two nights of the Autobahn Carina International Speedway’s 4 Nights of Thunda were held on Friday and Saturday, with plenty of speedway action across many formulas.

The main event was the Rum City Rumble for the production sedans run over both nights, with Brad Scherer continuing his

SPORTS QUIZ

1. Which decorated AFL player recently married his longtime girlfriend?

2. Untold: Deal with the Devil is a 2021 documentary film about which former professional boxer?

3. What was the reason for a 40-minute delay during an NBA match between Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics?

4.

recent good form with a win in the A-Main race.

He blitzed the field to win by over eight seconds ahead of Neil Keldoulis and Josh Jarius. It was Scherer’s second win in two weeks, as he won the Kurt Murdoch Classic in Maryborough the previous week.

The SSA National 4’s ran on Friday night, with Hamish Derrick claiming the

At which two Olympics did former swimming great Grant Hackett win gold medals?

5. Which NBL team does Xavier Cooks currently play for?

6. Which European golf legend recently passed away at the age of 62?

7. Which team does Qatari Rally driver Nasser AlAttiyah race for?

Which ex-AFL star and analyst announced he was taking a break from his media career and moving his family

Steve Carell plays unconventional boxing enthusiast John du Pont in which 2014 film?

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell made history after scoring how many points against Chicago Bulls?

11. Which Australian sporting league recently announced its season would be reduced from 61 to 43 games in future seasons?

A-Main win ahead of Graham Pitchfork and Graham Caldwell.

Friday night was also good for Brandon Hough, who won the Street Stocks crossing the line first ahead of Xak Cooney and Beau Pieters.

Nostalgia Sedans were also on the Friday night card, with Frank Packer beating home Des Rowe and Dennis Booth.

The AMCA Nationals turned up the heat on Saturday, with Steve Potts claiming first in the A-main event ahead of Brett Robotham and RobertWarne.

In the F500 juniors, BrookeWilson finished ahead of Riley Edwards and Hailey Ferguson, while Luke Edwards won the senior 500 race finishing ahead of Ken Newtown and Nathan Reeks.

12. Which AFLW team finished at the bottom of the ladder during season seven in 2022?

13. In what year did Cadel Evans win the Tour de France?

14. Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook won a Gold Medal in what event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics?

15. Alexei Popyrin represents Australia in which sport?

16. Which AFL team did Australian test wicketkeeper Alex Carey once play for?

17. Which car company is a major sponsor of the Australian Open tennis?

18. 'Mankading' is a term used in which sport? 19. The Australian Diamonds netball team will take part in a quad series in January to be held in which nation? 20. Which Australian cricketer tested positive for COVID on the first day of the Third Test against South Africa? 21. Which American businessman is president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organisation? 22. ICC Cricket Hall of Fame member Vinoo Mankad played 44 Test matches between 1946 and 1959 for which nation?

Crooked hoop

27. Australian motorcyclists Daniel Sanders, Toby Price and Andrew Houlihan competed in the 2022 edition of which off-road endurance event? 28. The Motor City Cruise is an NBA G League team affiliated with which NBA team? 29. Which Portugal-born Australian cricketer captains the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League? 30. Pelé played three seasons for which now-defunct North American Soccer League club?

SPORT BundabergToday.com.au

Scherer claims the crown

Brad Scherer wins the Rum City Rumble.

Pictures: CONTRIBUTED

Regional bowls results

BOWLS BURNETT MEN

SOCIAL BOWLS RESULTS

· Tuesday 3rd January: Winners: Warren Downey, Greg Dewing Runners Up: Ken Claridge, Peter Wendt Sportsman: Rob Swallow, David Green.

· Wednesday 4th January: Scroungers: Winner: Sharon Sheppeard Runners Up: Dave Morgan, Jamieson Morgan. Super end Winner: Greg Jackson

· Thursday 5th January: ‘Thirsty Thursday’ –No results

· Thursday 5th January: Night Bowls – No results

· Friday 6th January: Winners: John Martin, Josh Gott Runners Up: Helen Foster, Greg Jackson Sportsman: Chilli Pete, Sharon Sheppeard. The Jackpot was not won and will be $500 again next Friday.

· Saturday 7th January: Winners: Keith Sinclair, Craig Phillips, Ted Barker Sportsman: Sharon Sheppeard, Chilli Pete

· Saturday 7th January: Summer Pairs (Night Game) Winners: Jamieson & Dave. The Jackpot of $100 was not won and will now be $120 next Saturday night.

COMPETITION

· The draws for the Championship Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours have been completed and are on the boards at the Club. Have a look and start arranging games by mutual agreement.

· Reminder: Round 1 of the Championship Fours is this Saturday the 14th January (Play, Sub or Forfeit) Good luck and good bowling to all bowlers in the Fours.

· Nominations are now open for the 2023 B Grade Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours as well as the Men’s A & B Pairs, Mixed Pairs and Mixed Fours. Start organizing your teams and place your nomination on the sheets on the Club noticeboard. Nominations will close on Saturday the 21st January at 5.00pm.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

· Membership fees are now well overdue. Please remember that you must be a current financial member to participate in the Club Championships. Fees can be paid across the bar or to John Barry.

SOCIAL BOWLS EVENTS

· Visitors are most welcome on all playing days. Entry sheets are at the club or phone the Club on 41514217 during opening hours. If you cannot get through to the club number regarding bowls, then phone 0401341378 or 0466539441.

· Friday 13th January: Open Pairs (Men’s, Ladies, Mixed) 1pm start, names by 12pm, green fees paid by 12.45pm. Enjoy some so-

cial bowls with the chance to win the Friday Jackpot which is $500.

· Saturday 14th January – Round 1 of the Championship Fours. Otherwise, Open Pairs – men’s, ladies or mixed. Names in by 12pm, green fees paid by 12.45pm for a 1 pm start.

· Tuesday 17th January: Open Pairs - Men’s, Ladies, Mixed Pairs. Names in by 12pm, green fees paid by 12.45pm for a 1 pm start. The 2 bowl ‘Toucher Jackpot’ will be played after the game.

· Wednesday 18th January: ‘Scroungers’ Singles – this is a fun game of Singles similar to consistency singles where points are allocated to the 4 closest bowls to the jack. Games are played over 12 ends with no driving allowed. Names in by 6.15pm with games starting at 6.30pm. Green fees are $8 with 50 percent of the green fees being returned as prizemoney. All ability levels are welcome so come along for a fun night out.

· Thursday 19th January: ‘Thirsty Thursday’ Open Pairs. 3pm start, names by 2.30pm. Free drink (Sponsored) included in green fees. Games will finish at 5pm with two random lucky draws as prizes.

· Thursday 19th January: Night Bowls – bowls start at 6.30pm, names in by 6pm. Bowl under lights and enjoy a fun filled night with a chance at the ‘Pick the Joker’ Jackpot. Visitors and those that want to try bowls for the first time will be made to feel very welcome.

QLD JUNIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

· Burnett will be co-hosting the Junior State Championships from Sunday 15th January to Friday 20th January. Club members will be required to mark the Singles events, if you can help, then please place your name on the list at the Club. Games will be livestreamed during the Championships, so if you can’t make it down to the Club, check out the junior talent on the livestreaming. There will be social play during the week of the Junior Championships.

COMING EVENTS

· Saturday 14th January – Round 1 Men’s Championship Fours

· Sunday 15th January to Friday 20th January –Junior State Championships – Burnett Bowls Club is one of the host Clubs.

· Saturday 21st January – Round 2 Men’s Championship Fours

· Saturday 4th February: Round 1 of the Wide Bay Bowls Classic (WBBC). Division 1Vs Maryborough at Burnett. Division 3 has a BYE. Teams will be selected shortly.

CLUB NEWS

· Revised Club opening hours during January (due to the Junior State Championships)

· Tuesday 10th Jan 10am – 5.30pm,Wednesday

11th Jan 3pm – 9pm,Thursday 12th Jan 11am – 9.30pm, Friday 13th Jan 10am – 9.30pm, Saturday 14th Jan 10am – 9pm, Sunday 15th Jan 9am – 8pm, Monday 16th Jan 9am – 8pm, Tuesday 17th Jan 9am – 8pm, Wednesday 18th Jan 9am – 8pm, Thursday 19th Jan 9am – 9.30pm, Friday 20th Jan 9am – 9.30pm, Saturday 21st Jan 10am – 9pm, Sunday 22nd Jan 9am – 1pm, Monday 23rd Jan Club Closed, Tuesday 24th Jan 10am – 5.30pm, Wednesday 25th Jan 10am – 9pm, Thursday 26th Jan Club Closed (Australia Day), Friday 27th Jan 10am – 9.30pm, Sunday 29th Jan 9am – 1pm, Monday 30th Jan Club Closed, Tuesday 31st Jan 10am – 5.30pm.

· The Goose Club raffle will be drawn on Friday night at 7pm. The Member’s Draw was won last week and will now restart at $50, so come along, have a meal and a few drinks with the chance to win some cash and prizes.

BARGARA BOWLS NOTES W/e 8 th January

· Monday 2 nd January – Turkey Pairs – Winners – J. Hearn & G. Hutchinson; runners up J. &

· V. Reitzenstein; 2 nd runners up J. & J. Nowell. Winners of 1 st Game J. Emery & D. Jankovic.

· Winners 2 nd Game K. Bayntun &W. Barnett.

· Tuesday 3 rd January – Ladies Social BowlsWinners V. Kohn, K. Davine & T. Heath;

· runners up S. Bennett & P. Andrew; Sportsman’s K. Shipp & M. Hughes; L. Dunn & P. Van Huizen.

· Wednesday 4 th January –Turkey Pairs –Winners B. O’Neill & D. Franklin; runners up B.

· Hearn & A. Powell. Winners 1 st Game T. Plowman & G. Kath; Winners 2 nd Game B. & S. Burgess.

· Thursday 5 th January – Men’s Pairs – Winners M. Richardson & B. McDermott; runners up

· M. Kernick & R. Monk; 2 nd runners up G. Pearce & J. Bryant; 3 rd runners up D. Ivins & N.

· McNamara. Sportsman’s A. Johnson & W. Baxter; R. Murdaca & P. Sexton; K. Cook & K.

· Mayes; S. Burnell-Jones & H. Dingle.

· Competition – Men’s “A” Singles Round 1 – T. Fauser d R. Monk; T. Chapman d G. Miles;

· R. Pershouse d G. Cahill; B. McDermott d P. Barker; G. McGrail d John See; K. Bayntun d

· A. Johnson; C. Watt d L. Poulsen; B. Burgess d R. Alder; G. Kath d J. Nowell; C. Gallagher

· d J. Vereshaka; V. Sauer d W. Horn; Jim See d C. Hippisley; W. Baxter d R. Tonkin; F.

· Piwanski d B. Hearn; K. Cook d M. Attwood; N. Cullen d A. Grills; J. Jardine d M.

· Richardson; M. Tonkin d B. O’Neil; C. Fehlberg d H. Dingle; G. Gallagher d A. Powell; D.

· Mullens d B. McCarthy; D. Jankovic d S. Davies.

· Mixed Fours Round 1 - S. Davies, B. Heness, B. O’Neil & D. Franklin d J. & P. Andrew, K. · & K. Cook; K. Davern, Judy Nowell,V. Sauer & M.Winter d K. Aanensen, S. Bianchi , M. · Richardson & B. McDermott; J. Emery, T. Fauser, D. Brady & D. Jankovic d J. Lim, T. · Merritt, G. Cahill & L. Poulsen; K. Gallagher, H. Stewart, C. & G. Gallagher d D. McCarthy, · R. Monk, P. Van Huizen & B. McCarthy; L. Beale, J. Russell, C. Rixon & M. Tonkin d L. · Dunn, B. & C. Hippisley & N. Cullen; S. Burgess, J. Hearn, B. Burgess & C. Fehlberg d T. · Heath, P. Sexton, R. & A. Pershouse; B. Watt, D. Handley, K. Bayntun & C. Watt d M. · Alhovirta, J. Beeck, J. & H. Dingle; R. Hawkins, K. Almond, M. Attwood & A. Almond d C. · Campbell, B. Munis, G. Hutchinson & A. Powell.

· Coming Events MondaysTurkey Pairs – Open (Ladies, Men or Mixed) Pairs. Two games

· of 11 ends. Pay by 12 noon, 12.30 pm Start.

· Tuesday – Ladies Social Pairs 12.30 pm Start.

· Wednesday – Turkey Pairs - Open (Ladies, Men or Mixed) Pairs. Two games of 11 ends.

· If insufficient numbers Open Pairs. Pay by 12.30 pm, 1pm Start.

· Thursday – Men’s Social Pairs 1pm Start

· Saturday Men’s “A” Singles Round 2. 1pm Start.

· Sunday 8 th January Club Mixed Fours Round 2. 1 pm Start.

ACROSS THE WAVES LADIES BOWLS

RESULTS Friday 6th January:

· Lovely to see 40 bowlers on the greens for our first bowls night of the year, many of whom were giving bowls a try for the first time. Thank you Elio and Phyllis Marcon for cooking our barbeque tea.

· Winners - Madge Clitheroe & Colleen Somerfield

· Runners-Up - Nancy Ehrich & Peter Stokes

· Sportsmen - Madison & Bruce Lavender

· Friday night bowls will be held each week during January starting at 5.30pm with a sausage sizzle. Bowls should get underway by around 6pm. Cost $12 pp. Phone Lyn Murphy on 0402 302 091 if you would like a game or put your name on the sheet in the clubhouse. New bowlers are very welcome, plenty of bowls available.

2023 CHAMPIONSHIP FOURS

COMPETITION:

· Nominations for the 2023 Championship Fours Competition are open, closing on Friday 27th January. First games to be played on 10th February.

Golfing around Bundaberg

BUNDABERG MEN

Sunday, Happy New Year, good golfing in 2023.

· Sunday January 1 open stableford medley winner Paul Hoffman 36 points, runner-up Wayne Chalmers 35.

· Credits, N Hoffman 32; C Swift 31; L Phillips 30.

· Monday January 2 winner Neil McMahon 38 points runner-up Phil Boag 37. Credits D Obst 36; M Clerke 35; S Gills 34; P Brandon, S Olive, Z Bainbridge 33. Pinshot 2nd S Gills 6.91 and 14th N Hoffman 11.94.

· Saturday January 7 4 Ball Stableford sponsored by Gary Holloway, Muffin Break Hinkler Place, much appreciated Gary.

· Winners Zac Bainbridge Tom Kronk 47 points, runner-up Rex Morgan Gary Winterburn 46 c/back from 2nd runner-up Larry O’Keeffe Greg Chandler 46 c/back.

· Credits:- M Gee G Mann 46; M Parsons S Sergiacomi, G Holloway R Zielke, M Ballantyne B Conway 45; S Gills C Hill, M and T Richardson, CJ Mutatiri R Hatt, K Brown P Cocking 44; K Pankhurst R Macinnes, K Herrmann R Wooldridge, J Muller W Scott 43; G Hunt D Dooley, D Saywell P Stockham, K Willmett P Turton, R Shaw G Campbell, D Obst A Portelli, N Shaw RWagner, G Tesch Kev Barritt, B Hills Ken Barritt 42.

· Approach 5th M Parsons 1.85 and 13th J McEwan 3.00. Gardeners Golden Circle 4th G Tesch 0.89.

· Pro’s Pinshots, 2nd D Saywell 4.15, S Sergiacomi, S Gills, D Blundell, J Gibbs, B Wooldridge, A Portelli, D Lester 10.22. 4th G Tesch 0.89, A Jarick, P Cocking, B Conway, P Baxter, R Walmsley, B Richards, D Crowley 6.52. 8th G Chandler 0.46, G Tesch, G Wilmott, A Evans, K Holledge, M Craven, D Blundell, T Rametta, Ken Barritt, W Tapper 3.41. 14th R Zielke 2.30, Z Bainbridge, D Blundell, H O’Malley, J McEwan, R Ezzy, J Gibbs, D Cartwright, Ken Barritt 12.50. 17th P Zandona 5.66, M Clerke, G Mann, L Irvine, A Portelli, K Rosengreen 14.85.

· Competitions: Saturday January 14 stroke.

· Sunday January 15 Opening Day 2023 –Mixed 4 Ball Stableford 11am shotgun start and overflow 4 ball stableford. Hit-off season start by our club Patron David Gordon. Be sure to include your names on the sheet in the pro. shop.

· Thursday January 26 Australia Day 2 person ambrose 10.30am shotgun start. Names on the sheet in the pro.shop.

BUNDABERG SPORTERS

Thursday January 5 stroke medley winner Zac Bainbridge 67 nett runner-up Matt Janke 69.

· Credits: B Hills, J Rach 70; P Stockham 71; S Gills 72; S Olive 73; R Grills, D Cartwright 74; P Batt, D Blundell 75; T Kronk, N Stitt 76; D Harper, S Hancock 77; P Zandona, K Ireland, B Thorne 79; D Crew 80.

· Approach 12th S Gills 5.22. Pinshots; 2nd R Bailey-Rasmussen 7.06, P Stockham 8.19. 4th Z Bainbridge 6.53, T Kronk 9.56. 8th S Hancock 2.15, J Rach 2.79; 14th D Harper 2.30, N Stitt 6.21.

· Competition:Thursday 19th stableford medley, sporters and ladies.

BUNDABERG VETERANS

Tuesday January 3 stableford

· Men - winner KenWillmett 40 points.

· Credits – P Stockham, G McCracken, B Stewart 38; P Easton 36; G Chandler, M Gee 35; R Wagner, P Hughes, R Hatt 34. Pinshot 4th P Stockham 8.42, B Mackinnon 10.82. 14th G Chandler 6.38, G Harrison 14.98

· 17th approach P Turton 0.50, B Mackinnon, P Easton, G MacDonald, R Hatt, D Williamson 1.68.

· Ladies – winner CherylWright 36

· Credits – D Rowley 33; M Faulkner 32; C Harrison, B Dummer 30. Approach 4th B Dummer 0.05, C Wright, D Rowley 0.85. 8th C Harrison 1.24, CWright 2.95.

· Competition: Tuesday January 17 bogey.

BUNDABERG WOMEN

Saturday January 7, 4 Ball Stableford sponsored by Gary Holloway, Muffin Break Hinkler Place, much appreciated by all players Gary.

· Winners: Ruth Walmsley and Jenny Sharp 44 points, runners-up: Judy Gibbs and Kay Tischler 42.

Credits: H and L Irvine, L Phillips S Dawson 39; H and A Harvey 38; B Dummer D Rowley, C Harrison D Crowley, C Herrmann K Rosengreen 37; M Price J Davis 34.

Approach 14th div. 1 A Harvey in the hole

and div 2 B Dummer 0.45.

Competitions: Saturday January 14 stroke.

Sunday January 15 Opening Day 2023 –

Mixed 4 Ball Stableford 11am shotgun start and overflow 4 ball stableford. Hit-off season start by our club Patron David Gordon. Be sure to include your names on the sheet in the pro. shop.

Thursday January 26 Australia Day 2 person ambrose 10.30am shotgun start. Names on the sheet in the pro.shop.

GIN GIN Members

Results from 18 hole 2 person Aggregate Stableford – Draw after event held on Saturday 7 th January, 2023

· Winners : Scott Cooper and Geoff Shorthouse 82

· Run Down Paul Herring and Peter Jenkins 72

· Other Scores: ScottWarren and Drew Kitt 71, ScottWallace and Rick Stehbens 70, Paul Stehbens and Bob Materna,

· Alan Porter and Elliot Nicholson 65, Steve Vennell and Paul Shyhun, David Travis and Tom Stehbens 64, Geoff

· Brandon and Brian Stevens, Len Shield and Wayne Digby 61, Stephen Moody and David Doyle 54

· Pin Shot 7 and 16 Scott Warren 3.8, David Travis 5.1 Len Shield 10.1

· Pin Shot 8 and 17: ScottWarren 1.7, Alan Porter 2.35, Rick Stehbens 5.6

· Long Put: Elliott Nicholson

· Saturday 14th January, 2023 Monthy Medal and Guzzlers Mug

BARGARA MEN

Thurs: 5th January, 2023 Comp: Stableford

Winners:

· Div 1: Garth Pain 39pts

· Div 2: Jeremy Fitzsimmons (Gladstone GC) 37pts c/b

· Div 3: Graham Evans 36pts c/b

· Rundown: Peter Johnson 37pts, Alan Chappell 37pts, Rob Whitford 36pts, Dennis Gaylard36pts,BobNicholls35pts,JoshuaPhillips 35pts, Alan Arnold 35pts, David Williamson 34pts, NikeWeir 34pts, Stan Miller 34pts, Rod Kruger 34pts, Ian Bloom 34pts, Ray sharp 33pts, Mitchell Mc Glashan 33pts, Dennis Bowman 33pts, Chris Robertson 33pts, John Albion 32pts, Dave Richards 32pts, Des Ryan 32pts, Glen Vertigan 32pts, Ross McNeilly 32pts, Dave Bunyoung 32pts, Anthony Dunphy 32pts, Michael Anderson 31pts, Mark Stables 31pts, Keith Kroger 31pts, Darcy Berger 31pts, Stephen List 31pts, Matthew Maloy 30pts, Mike Dillon 30pts c/b

· Approach 8 th : Mitchell Mc Glashan 2.39, Marcus Lister 2.47, Dennis Bowman 2.55

· Approach 13 th : Chris Robertson 1.95, Anthony Dunphy 2.25, John Antrobus 4.10

· Pro’s Pin 5 th : Greg Lewis 1.19, Chris Robertson 2.31, Stan Lindsay 3.52, John See 10.40

· Pro’s Pin 14 th : Chris Robertson 4.13, John Albion 4.87, Stephen List 5.13, Ray Sharp 5.50

BARGARA MEN

Sat: 7th January, 2023 Comp: Stableford

Winners:

· A Grade: Todd Chapman 42pts

· B1 Grade: James Dederer (Monto GC) 38pts

· B2 Grade: Jeremy Fitzsimmons (Gladstone GC) 38pts

· C Grade: BruceWilliams 41pts

· Rundown: Brian Scanlon 38pts, Jeremy Fitzsimmons (Gladstone GC) 38pts, Ron Toovey 37pts, Rod Mason 37pts, Chris Crouch 37pts, Matthew Doolan 37pts, Specs Bainbridge 37pts, Chris McNamara 37pts, Keith Kroger 37pts, Ken Silcox 37pts, Paul Cuskelly 37pts, Brett Wyatt 36pts, Michael Hansen 36pts, Craig Fritz 36pts, Garth Pain 36pts, Ken Kirk 36pts, Des Ryan 36pts, Christopher Hale 35pts, Pip De Been 35pts, Gary Hack 35pts, Chris Robertson 35pts, John Archibald 35pts, Wayne Brown 35pts, Paul Wheatley 35pts, Steve Merritt 34pts, Martin Green 34pts, Ross Hunter 34pts, Neale Moller 34pts, Alan Arnold 34pts, Brandon Harvey 34pts, Chris Wake 34pts, Andy Clark 34pts, Mike Paul 34pts, Kel Drady 34pts, Stephen Jameson 34pts, Denis O’Brien 34pts, Shay Kuchtin 34pts, Matthew Janke (Bundaberg GC) 34pts, Paul O’Neill 34pts, Ryan Weekes 34pts, Jim McLaughlan 34pts, Stewart Flanagan 34pts, Peter Stephenson 33pts, RobWhitford 33pts, Mark Ramsay 33pts, Des Fraser 33pts, Ray sharp 33pts, Richard Berry 33pts, John Daley 33pts, Wayne Adcock 33pts, Dan Burg 33pts c/b

· Pinshot 5th : Dan ryan (Townsville GC) 1.00, Neale Moller 7.28, Ray Brown 9.10, John Antrobus 11.90

· Approach 10th : Chris McNamara .72, Alan Chappell .74, Kel Drady .93, Ray Brown 1.79

· Pro’s Pin 3 rd : Paul O’Neill .85, Andrew Scherer 1.59, James Thompson 3.55, Glen Rieck 3.60, Mark Ramsay 3.97

· Pro’s Pin 14th : Specs Bainbridge .83, Wayne Adcock 2.18, Chris Robertson 3.46, Bryce McDougall 3.78, Mike Paul 7.30

·

Eagles: Chris Crouch 8 th Hole, Dan Ryan (Townsville GC) 13 th Hole, Daryl Banks 13 th Hole

· Golden Circle: Specs Bainbridge

TUESDAY MEN & LADIES

Tues: 3rd January, 2023 Comp: Ladies & Men Stableford

Ladies:

· Div 1: Allison Jackson 41pts

· Div 2: Parichat Macalma 36pts

· Rundown: FranTaylor 36pts, Jan fisher 35pts, Babs Beh 34pts, Barbara Studholme 33pts, Rose Lay 32pts, Sandra Newham 31pts, Carolyn Mason 31pts, Christine Banks 31pts, Ros Savidge 31pts, Penny Kent 31pts, Robyn Edgar 30pts, Kaye Nicholls 29pts, Margaret King 29pts c/b

Approach 3 rd Hole:

· Div 1: Ros Savidge .33

· Div 2: Fran Taylor 3.80, Parichat Macalma 4.05, Chris Redshaw 6.25

Pro’s Approach 5 th Hole:

· Div 1:

· Div 2: Fran Taylor .20, SallieWake .33

· Pro’s Approach 14 th Hole:

· Div 1:

· Div 2: Allison Jackson In the Hole, Carolyn Mason .12, Sandra Newham .30, Fran Taylor .31

Men:

· Div 1: Mitchell Mc Glashan 42pts

· Div 2: Paul O’Neill 38pts

· Div 3: Kel Drady 37pts

· Div 4: Peter Hoffmann 40pts

· Rundown: Peter Murray 40pts, Stephen Jameson 40pts, Warren Jennings 39pts, Graeme Mogridge 38pts, John Daley 38pts, Doug Gray 37pts, Chris McNamara 37pts, Keith Warburton 37pts, Donald Gordon 37pts, Ray sharp 36pts, Brian Drinkwater 36pts, Bob Philip 36pts, Peter Jamieson 36pts, Bill Taberer 36pts, Jeff Phillips 36pts, Michael Tooth 36pts, Christopher 36pts, David Hunter 35pts, Stephen Larsen 35pts, Russell Fisher 35pts, Warner Banks 35pts, Mike Hounslow 35pts, Ron Shipp 35pts, Joshua Phillips 35pts, Jack Van Haren 35pts, Keith Kroger 34pts, Richie Royle 34pts, Ted Clark 34pts, Anthony Dunphy 34pts, Paul Newham 34pts, Rory Jackson 34pts, Peter Johnson 34pts, John Antrobus 34pts, Todd Chapman 34pts, Alister Marr 34pts, Scott Inslay 34pts, Tat Whaleboat 33pts, Greg Cahill 33pts, John See 33pts, Robert McKewen (Goombungee GC) 33pts c/b Pro’s Pin Shot 5 th Hole: Peter Murray 1.05, Dennis Bowman 1.48, Brian Scanlon 2.31, Stephen Jameson 2.50, Matthew Maloy 3.00

· Approach 8 th Hole: Warner Banks .95, Nike Weir .98, Warren Jennings 1.20

· Approach 13 th Hole: Jason Brown (1770 GC) .20, Matthew Maloy .26, Scott Inslay .81

· Pro’s Pin 14 th Hole: Greg Cahill .22, Graham Hillocks 1.22, Murray Horswood 1.95, Chris McNamara 2.45, Mitchell Mc Glashan 2.77

· Eagle: Mitchell Mc Glashan Hole 2

WEDNESDAY SPORTERS

Wed: 4th January, 2023

· 12 Hole Winner: Rod Duffy 43

· 12 Hole Runner Up: Chris Blake 46

· 1 st Six Winner: Louis Pace 22

· 1 st Six Runner Up:

· 2 nd Six Winner: Max Culic 23 1/2

· 2 nd Six Runner Up:

· Gross: John Albion 57

· Birdies: Fred Anderson 1

· Putts: Mark Grice 16

· Eagles:

· Approach Shot 8 th Hole: John Albion 2.47, Michael Anderson, Rod Duffy

· Pinshot 5 th Hole: Daryl Fisher 5.28

BARGARA WOMEN

· Thurs: 05 th January, 2023 Comp: Stableford

· Div 1: Kaye Nicholls 35pts c/b

· Div 2:

· Rundown: Penny Kent 35pts, Barbara Studholme 34pts, Trudie Lawes 34pts, Sharon Gall 34pts, Alison Curd 33pts, Rose Lay 32pts

Approach 3 rd Hole

· Div 1: Sharon Gall 1.50, Leanne Spruce 3.45

· Div 2: Trudie Lawes 1.89, Margaret King 2.90

· Pro’s Approach 5 th :

· Div 1: Leanne Spruce 6.80

· Div 2: Kaye Nicholls 3.52

· Pro’s Approach No 14 th :

· Div 1: Rose Lay 2.46

· Div 2: Desirae Bennett .05

BARGARA WOMEN

Sat: 07 th January, 2023 Comp: Stableford

Winners:

· Div 1: Jill Marrinan 39pts

· Div 2: Jill Serra 40pts

· Div 3: Shirley Leacy 37pts

· Rundown: Rhonda Rowe 37pts, Taylah Harvey 36pts, Ros Savidge 36pts, Toni Kuchtin 35pts, Fran Taylor 35pts, Lynda Stephens 35pts, Michelle Marsden 34pts, Coleen Atherton 33pts, Jan Thomas 32pts, Leone Collins 32pts, Leanne Spruce 32pts, Parichat Macalma 32pts, Juvy Herman 32pts, Babs Beh 31pts, Shelley Reed 30pts c/b Approach 3 rd :

· Div 1: Shelley Reed .15, Jenny Turner .30, Joan Milton 1.32, Kathy Nelson 1.46

· Div 2: Desirae Bennett In the Hole, Robyn Edgar .15, Parichat Macalma 1.45, Juvy Herman 3.05, Del Hartfiel 3.10

Pro’s Approach 5 th :

· Div 1: Leanne Spruce .40, Jill Marrinan .86, Ros Savidge .94, Jenny Turner 5.33

· Div 2: Shirley Leacy .76, Taylah Harvey 1.42, Lynda Stephens 2.30, Courtney Curd 2.77, Rhonda Rowe 3.80

· Pro’s Pin 14 th : No Winner

Fishing

What’s biting this week?

By Tackle World Bundaberg Inshore/Offshore

While the last few weeks have not been the greatest conditions to head out wide we have still seen small weather windows in which anglerswereabletosneakout.Duringthesetimes we have consistently seen plenty of big bottom fish on the chew. This weekend’s weather is shaping up to be the best we have had in a long time and plenty of people are planning to head out Saturday for a cheeky fish. The forecast out wide is around 5 to 8 knots knots with the occasional 10 knot gust and 0.9m to 1m of swell. The species on the cards for this weekend should be the usual coral trout, red emperor, sweetlip, cod and parrot fish which have been caught consistently whilst the weather has allowed. Big bommies and steep ledges has been where most of these fish have been found with isolated structure off main sections of reef holding most of the bigger fish. If you are heading out this weekend, the 15 Mile, Northern Gutter and the Southern Gutter will all be great places to be for a lot of the common species. If the weather permits reefs towards Lady Elliott Island have fished great for coral trout, cod and parrot fish. Big flesh baits have been the ideal bait especially when rigged on one of Buku’s Hybrid Bait Rigs.

Burnett River

The Burnett has had a very good week of fishing with a lot of our summer species being caught throughout the river. Big jacks have been the fish of the week for this system with a lot of them being caught on a range of techniques. The middle stretches of the Burnett has been the place to be for these fish and any submerged rock bars or rock walls is where they have been found. Most live baits have been absolutely smashed by big jacks when floated down along the rocks or prawn imitation soft plastics slow wound over the top of the rocks. Big fallen trees has also been a great spot to target these fish, ensuring your bait is as close to the structure as possible has been the key to pulling one of these big jacks out. Down river around the mouth has also fished very well this week for flathead, grunter and whiting. Throwing small flesh baits at the base of the rock walls or along sandy drop offs has worked well for these fish. Fresh yabbies have also been a great bait if the water is a little clearer and there isn’t as much current. Some big bream and cod have been caught at the North Wall as well as the occasional big mangrove jack. Small chunks or strips of baitfish have worked best for these fish along with whole sprat drifted down without a sinker. All the fresh water that has entered this system has got the muddies on the move and they have been in great numbers. It is definitely worth throwing the pots in as this is some of the best crabbing we have had in a while.

Elliott River

Continuing on from last week the water in the Elliott has continued to increase in temperature which has got the shallow flats thriving with fish life. From big summer whiting, flathead, grunter, trevally and queenfish there hasn’t been many fish not caught on the flats this week. The best technique to encounter these fish has been to anchor in the deeper sections around the shallow flats and cast up onto the flat. Freshly pumped yabbies rigged using a running ball sinker rig and a very light sinker has been the best bait. Throwing some small soft plastics or hardbody lures up into the shallows has also caught some great quality fish. The Zerek Tango Shad’s have been the most effective lures when twitched along the sand flats. Up river has seen some quality grunter caught in the deeper holes and bends of river, using small flesh baits has caught these fish as well as small soft vibes. Around heavy structure such as fallen trees has seen some good sized jacks being caught especially on live baits. A 10 foot bottom pocket cast net is perfect for catching live baits and we currently have some ripper deals across our whole range. Whilst up river it is worth throw-

ing the pots in as the crabs have been on the move with the recent rain our region has had. Big flesh baits along with placing your pots in deeper channels has been the go.

Lake

Monduran

Lake Monduran has had a great week of fishing with almost a week long stretch of consistent winds and a rising barometer really getting these barra on the chew. The majority of the barra have been caught on hardbody lures and have been biting on a very long pause. The Jackall Squirrel 79sp’s and the Samaki Redic DS80’s have proven to be the barra’s favourite lures. Using a much longer pause than usual has been the difference in getting a bite so ensuring that your lure either floats or sinks super slowly is absolutely key. Some of the larger

fish have been getting caught in deeper water sitting in the tops of trees so using an 80lb fluorocarbon leader is going to give you a good chance at landing these fish. If you are fishing sections of the dam with less structure, going down to a 60lb leader has proven to be beneficial especially if you are struggling to get a bite. Ensuring you are fishing around the moon rise and moon set times has been working great as the barra have been responding quite well to these bite times.

Lake Gregory

The bass are continuing to feed aggressively in Lake Gregory with the consistent warm weather definitely helping them stay in the shallows. Drifting wind-blown points and banks has worked well and once you find one bass

there has been numerous others in close proximity. Using 70mm to 100mm hardbody lures twitched along weed edges or along weedy banks as been the most effective technique. Using very aggressive twitches mixed with long pauses has got these bass to eat even when conditions haven’t been in your favour. Ensuring your hardbody lure doesn’t sink or float too quickly is crucial as it needs to stay in the strike zone for as long as possible. The Rapala Shad Rap Elite 75 has been working great on the bass and perfectly imitates the baitfish that are in the dam at the moment. Fishing sections of the dam which have had most of the wind exposure over the last few days or even up to a week is ideal as a lot of the bait and warmer water will be in these areas.

Catch of the Week Winner - Joel Faint.

Brendan Wales with a ripper of a jack caught on a livie.Thomas Webb with a giant herring caught last weekend.

Kevin Walduck with a ripper 51cm coral trout caught off Woodgate Beach.

Tim Mulhall with a solid barra caught in Lake Monduran on the Samaki Redic DS80.

Bundy to host top juniors

By Brendan Bowers

Bundaberg will be overrun this weekend with the best lawn bowlers from around the state as they roll into town and get set to compete in the 2023 Junior State Lawn Bowls Championships.

Beginning on Sunday, the championships will run for six days and will be held over three Bundaberg Bowls Clubs.

Burnett Heads is the primary host, with competition to be played every day, while Bundaberg and Across the Waves will each host one day of play on Thursday.

Bowlers will compete in under 18, 15 and 12 age groups in singles, pairs, triples, and fours, with the under-18 fours the first competition to hit the greens.

Our region will be well represented, with ten bowlers competing over the week, including Christian McLellen and Jaydee Blackley in the under-18s. They will be joined by Phoebe Russell and Rebecca Blackley in the under-15 girls and Marley and Zedd Peters in the boys.

Alex O’Brien and Chaz Doherty will compete in the under-12s.

Bundaberg District Junior Development Officer Des Kemp believes the competition will be a highlight for the Bundaberg Bowls community.

“It is great to have the best young bowlers from around the state in Bundaberg, and I want to wish our local bowlers and everyone else the best of luck,” Kemp said.

Some matches will be live-streamed via the Bowls Queensland website, with a large audience expected to tune in to check out the action.

For further information about the event or to view the draw, visit the Bowls Queensland website.

What’s all the racquet about local pickleball?

By Brendan Bowers

From its humble beginnings in 1965 in the state of Washington in the United States, Pickleball continues to grow with the sport turning professional with a pro tour.

Bundaberg is not being left behind, with the Tennis Bundaberg grabbing the paddle and serving up pickleball opportunities for locals.

With one of the only dedicated pickleball complexes in Queensland, Bundaberg residents can partake in the sport on one of the five dedicated courts available.

Bundaberg Tennis and Pickleball committee member Barry Franklin believes the sport caters for everyone.

“Since we have started, the numbers of

people trying the sport have exploded,” Franklin said.

The club will hold their grand opening of the pickleball complex and come and try day on Saturday, January 21, at 3 pm and encourages any person wanting to try the sport to come down and have a go.

This weekend the courts will be in use on Saturday, with thirty players from the Sunshine Coast returning to play against Bundaberg players in the Bundy Power Open.

The competition will run from 3-6 pm with presentations, dinner, and a trivia night afterwards.

For further information about the sport or the upcoming events, visit the Tennis Bundaberg Facebook page for details.

TheBundabergpickleballcomplex.

Picture:CONTRIBUTED

BurnettHeads,BundabergandAcrosstheWavesbowlsclubswillhosttheQueenslandJuniorStateChampionships.

Picture:CONTRIBUTED

Warnings

See www.bom.gov.au/australia/warnings

Bundaberg:

Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

Saturday. Possible shower.

Wide Bay and Burnett:

Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower along the coastal fringe. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

Saturday. Partly cloudy. Medium (40%) chance of showers along the coastal fringe, slight (20%) chance elsewhere. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

Capricornia:

Partly cloudy. Medium (40%) chance of showers in the north. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning.

Saturday. Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers in the north, slight (20%) chance elsewhere. Winds easterly 15 to 25 km/h.

Southeast Coast:

Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower along the coastal fringe. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening.

Saturday. Partly cloudy. Medium (40%) chance of showers. Winds southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending easterly during the morning then becoming light during the evening.

Queensland:

Isolated showers and storms over the southern interior tending scattered over the central, western and northern districts, and widespread at times in the Far North and tropical east coast north of Ayr. Scattered showers in remaining eastern districts, tending isolated south of St Lawrence. Heavy rainfall possible about the northern to western interior and along the northeast tropical coast. A degree of uncertainty regarding location of heavy rain focus along northeast tropical coast,depending on the development and movement of a coastal trough. Maximum temperatures near or below average, tending well below average in the central and northern interior.

Saturday. Isolated showers and storms over the southern interior tending scattered over the central, western and northern districts, and widespread at times in the Far North and tropical east coast north of Ayr. Scattered showers in remaining eastern districts. Heavy rainfall possible with storms about the northern interior, and about large parts of the north and northeast depending on the development and movement of a coastal trough. High uncertainty remains with the location and development of any system and associated heavy rainfall. Maximum temperatures near or below average, tending well below average over northwestern, northern and central interior districts.

COASTAL WATERS

St. Lawrence to Burnett Heads:

Winds: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres south of Cape Capricorn during the afternoon or evening. Swell: East to southeasterly around 1 metre offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Hervey Bay:

Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Below 0.5 metres. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Sandy Cape to Double Island Point: Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the afternoon or evening. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Double Island Point to Cape Moreton: Winds: Southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore north of Maroochydore during the evening. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Mostly sunny.

Moreton Bay: Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots reaching up to 15 to 20 knots north of Port of Brisbane in the afternoon and evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Weather: Partly cloudy.

Cape Moreton to Point Danger:

Winds: Southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending easterly during the evening. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly around 1 metre inshore, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Weather: Mostly sunny.

5:14am6:45pm11:15pm11:07am

5:14am6:45pm11:48pm12:02pm

5:15am6:45pmNil12:58pm

5:16am6:45pm12:24am2:00pm

5:17am6:45pm1:06am3:05pm

www.bom.gov.au Warnings: Latest info at www.bom.gov.au/australia/warnings Warnings 1300 659 210 State Service 1300 934 034 Coastal Waters 1300 978 023

TIDES

Bundaberg Today: H:12:00am2.3m L:5:56am1.2m H:12:28pm2.7m L:6:55pm1.1m Tomorrow: H:12:54am2.3m L:6:51am1.3m H:1:16pm2.6m L:7:44pm1.1m Sunday: H:2:00am2.3m L:8:07am1.4m H:2:14pm2.5m L:8:42pm1.1m Monday: H:3:19am2.4m L:9:38am1.4m H:3:21pm2.5m L:9:46pm1.0m

Elliott Heads

Today: L:5:53am1.1m H:12:20pm2.8m L:6:57pm0.9m

Tomorrow: H:12:51am2.3m L:6:50am1.2m H:1:11pm2.7m L:7:45pm0.9m Sunday: H:2:00am2.3m L:8:05am1.3m H:2:09pm2.5m L:8:42pm0.9m Monday: H:3:18am2.4m L:9:36am1.4m H:3:13pm2.4m L:9:45pm0.9m

Magpies soar over Norths

By Brendan Bowers

The Rum City Foods Division One cricket premiership resumed on Saturday after a Christmas and New Year’s break with Norths and the East Bundy Magpies the first teams back on the field.

After winning the toss, Norths sent the East Bundy team to bat, and it immediately paid dividends with opening Ben Davey dismissed for one run.

They then lost the other opener David Bonser for 11 with a total of 32, and Lennon Childs followed shortly after for 12 runs.

Lachlan Donovan and Trent Seeds then dug in for a 111-run partnership, with Seeds dismissed for 57. Dale Steele joined Donovan at the crease as they piled on another 36 runs before Donovan fell for 70. The Magpies pushed on to 5/238 from their 45 overs.

Jordan Mather was the only Norths bowler to take two wickets, finishing with 2/19 off his three overs.

In reply, Norths started with a 37-run opening partnership before Mather was dismissed for 14. Brendan Handley joined him for a duck with no addition to the score. It was a similar story with Norths on 80 losing Shaun Rose and Alex Turner without adding a run.

Chris Napper steadied the innings before a regular run of wickets falling had Norths dismissed for 193 in the 43rd over. Rose topscored with 43, with Napper next best with 38

runs. Trent Seeds 4/35 and Lachlan Donovan 4/44 were the main destroyers for the Magpies.

The Waves faced Brothers in a top-of-thetable clash in the second match that began at 2 pm and finished under lights.

Brothers won the toss and sent The Waves into bat with the team unable to find any real rhythm, with the bat falling for 9/183 in their 45 overs. Opener Luke Owen made a solid halfcentury 50, with Jayden Larsen the only other

batter to make over 20 runs.

Chris Carroll was the best of the Brother’s bowlers, finishing with figures of 4/35 from his nine overs.

Brothers lost their openers Solano and David Boge cheaply for five runs each and were joined by Oliver Boge 1 run and Lachlan Heycox 16 to be 4/38 before a not-out 105 from 109 balls steadied the innings. They passed The Waves total in the forty-second over, finishing on 6/185.

Mitch Waters was the pick of The Waves bowlers with 3/26 off nine overs.

The weekend results have The Waves remaining at the top of the Premiership table at 116.70, with Brothers in second place at 106.35. There is a large gap back to the East Bundy Magpies on 64.21, with Norths in fourth at 57.30 points.

This week the Bundy Big Bash returns on Friday evening with the Betta heat playing the Headland Magpies before the Rum City Foods Premiership follows up on Saturday with The Waves playing the East Bundy Magpies and Norths and Brothers facing off.

Trent Seeds attempts to cut.

Pictures: SOLANA PHOTOGRAPHY

David Bosner up on one leg for his shot.