Your Local: August 2023

Artwork by Ceramicist Neita Bage

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Lil Staff

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alan Lander

Matt Golinski

Andrea Taylor

Tony Wellington

Erin Yarwood Hayley Saunders

Margie Wegener

Andy Flanagan

www.yourlocallifestyle.com.au

PO Box 125, Cooroy Qld 4563

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Distributed in Noosa Hinterland & surrounding areas

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Y LL respectfully acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, and to their Elders past and present.

Get Ready for Scarecrow-mania

TEXTILE RECYCLING DAY A SUCCESS

Noosa and Sunshine Coast residents dropped off a combined 2.8 tonnes of clothing and 1.5 tonnes of linen at last month’s Give a Sheet for the Planet textile recycling day. Rather than contribute to landfill, the textiles will be given new life. BlockTexx will recycle the linen while the clothing was donated to Vinnies to be reused in the community.

FUNDING SECURED FOR KATIE ROSE COTTAGE HOSPICE

Federal Member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien today announced the Australian Government will fund a $1.5 million extension to Katie Rose Cottage Hospice at Doonan to improve access to end of life and palliative care services for people in Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. The funding will be used to construct two additional bedrooms, a quiet room, and an administration and storage area. Work will commence shortly on the project and is expected to be completed in late 2024 or early 2025.

Prep 2024

MARY Valley residents are channelling cowboys and Indians for their scarecrow entries in the 2023 festival!

The annual event is theming itself on the Wild West and organisers want to see who can create a Wild Bill Hickok or Annie Oakley for display.

There are cash prizes including $500 for the grand champion - overall winner. The

festival opens on September 11 and runs until October 2, in villages from Dagun and Amamoor through to Kenilworth in the Mary Valley. And to cap off the fun, one supporter is creating Woody the cowboy for a scarecrow hunt competition! Organisers want you to track down Woody and snap a photo with him. If you share it to the scarecrow Facebook page using the handle

#Woody, you could win $150!

Winners will be announced on ABC Sunshine Coast on Wednesday September 13.

The festival is popular with day trippers who head to the Mary Valley to go scarecrow spotting over the September school holidays!

Scarecrow-mania began in Maleny and has been held during spring almost every year since the late ‘90s. It is one of two festivals – the other is the Mary Valley Art Festival - hosted by the community group Mary Valley Artslink.

Registration opens on Friday August 11, and scarecrows will be on display by Saturday September 9. A Google map will show locations of all scarecrows so you can take a day trip to go scarecrow spotting in the Mary Valley.

Download your entry form from the website https://www.maryvalleyartslink.com.au/maryvalleyscarecrow-festival/ or pick it up from Kenilworth Information Centre, Mary Valley Traders at Imbil or Kandanga Farm Store. To enter, you must be a Mary Valley resident.

Photo: Jan Watt

Scrapwood Sally was an oversized favourite in a previous festival

THE MOUNTAIN’S VICTORS

NAVARRO CLAIMS VICTORY AT THE PRESTIGIOUS POMONA KING OF THE MOUNTAIN RACE

KING - Jorge Hernaez Navarro

Pre-race favourite Jorge Hernaez Navarro left nothing out on the gruelling mountain run course last month to dominate the 2023 Pomona King of the Mountain race. Jorge not only won the race but set a new course record of 31:15 for the new longer course, beating last years time of 31:24 set by Australian mountain running representative Mark Bourne

Jorge said before the race, “I had a good feeling. I landed in Australia four days ago from Spain where I was there on holiday to see the family.

I had also won a race in Spain, so I was feeling good for today.”

Jorge in describing his run said, “Right at the start of the race, two people started running very hard and I decided not to follow them because I know the race quite well and the pace I have to take to win.

“The most important thing for me is to get to the base of the mountain with strength, that’s where the real race starts.

“I followed the pace I had set; when I came down the mountain I first looked at my watch and saw that I could set a record. But I didn’t believe it until I got to the finish line. It was incredible. I didn’t expect it at all.”

Jorge reflected on his performance, “I think the people of Pomona make you draw strength and energy from where you didn’t think you had it. The race, the organization, the history and the people make it so special to come here year after year.”

WOMENS WINNER ANGE HARRIES SWAPS BOXING FOR MOUNTAIN RUNNING

QUEEN – Ange Harries

38 year old Ange Harries ran the perfect race to beat prerace favourite and last years Queen, Lee Cleary.

Ange set off fast from the gun and was in second place at the summit of the mountain, quickly moving into first place about 20m into the descent.

Leading up to the race Ange said, “I felt great, calm, open to joy, ready to race. I thought I could win as soon as I overtook the 2nd placed woman, I knew I could win when the girl behind me didn’t catch me on the heartbreak hill.”

Asked if she felt strong during the race her candid response was, “you never feel strong on the mountain, you always feel like you are getting your ass handed to you, but I felt like I was coping very well with the beating!”

Ange has been in training as a boxer for over 10 years now. The first time she raced the KOM was in 2013.

Ange said after the race, “I’m super happy to finally be the Queen of the Mountain!”

Join High Tea for the Hounds and Help Change Lives

WHAT better way is there to spend your morning than with a delectable high tea that is raising money for an amazing cause?

High Tea for the Hounds is one of those must attend events for the year and a major fundraiser for Noosa charity, PTSD Dogs Australia. Hosted at Cooroy RSL from 10am on Friday August 25 you will be treated to a delicious high tea with sweet and savoury treats, cocktail on arrival, entertainment by Andrea Kirwin and Claire Evelynn, special guest speakers, raffles and lots of fun!

Tickets are just $55 and are available at https://events.humanitix.com/ht4h

Any businesses interested in donating a raffle prize can contact events@ptsddogs. org.au

Funds raised go towards supporting the fantastic work of PTSD Dogs Australia who rescue dogs and train them as Psychiatric Assistance Dogs which are provided at no cost to Veterans and First Responders suffering from PTSD. This vital work is providing positive change to the lives of dogs, veterans, first responders and their families. If you’d like to support the organisation or find out more visit www.ptsddogs.org.au.

Cooroy RV stopover transformed

STAYING at the Cooroy RV Stopover is now a whole new experience, thanks to a generous grant from Tourism Noosa and the hard work of the Cooroy Chamber of Commerce.

Resulting from the cancellation of numerous events during the COVID pandemic funds were made available for tourism related projects. A makeover of the RV Stopover was considered a no brainer!

Prior to this, the facility was just a grassed paddock. Today, it is thoughtfully landscaped, featuring 45 native trees, providing shade and a far more welcoming environment.

A pre-loved Noosa Council bus shelter has been

restored and installed as a visitor information centre, giving visitors an opportunity to pick up a copy of their favorite publication, Your Local Lifestyle! With solar power and lighting, next on the list is the provision of free wi-fi.

A community garden has been established, inviting green fingered visitors to get involved and for those wanting to share their experiences on the road, with other travelers, there is a visitor’s notice board.

The results speak for themselves with record numbers of visitors, spreading the word about their positive experience at the Cooroy RV Stopover.

Better banking. Big impact.

MARY VALLEY RATTLER LAUNCHES HERITAGE SILVER BULLET RAIL SERVICE

QUEENSLAND’S Mary Valley

Rattler heritage railway has added two historic Silver Bullet railmotors to its fleet.

The self-propelled railcars have been lovingly restored by the Rattler’s passionate team of engineers, craftspeople and volunteers. The Silver Bullet series was built by Commonwealth Engineering at Rocklea for Queensland Railways between 1956 and 1971. The Silver Bullet will operate a relaxed, atmospheric High Tea Experience, departing Gympie every Friday from 10am for a scenic journey winding through the beautiful countryside of the Mary Valley to arrive at charming Dagun Station. For further information: https://www.maryvalleyrattler.com.au/

Magic happens when around

Miss Donna’s

By Alan Lander

IT has been an uplifting and fascinating journey for a once-introverted, bullied schoolkid to become an international performer who would build a zoo out of … balloons.

Tewantin’s Donna Cochrane wasn’t born into wealth. She also grew up quickly in her Perth family, having an older brother and then two sisters aged 14 and 17 years younger than her, due to a second marriage.

“My sisters see me more like a cousin, even though I was changing their nappies when Mum was sick, and Stepdad out at work,” Donna said.

She also speedily learned the value of personal achievement and success.

By age 13 she was assistant to a magician and ventriloquist “teaching kids balloon animals”.

She later also simultaneously worked for a bakery/pizza outlet and also hosting wine tastings and vodka promotions in bottle shops and the airport, somehow also squeezing in reception duties at a college of natural medicine.

“I always had three-to-five jobs.”

“My dad was in theatre; he won a number of acting awards. He’s quite a character. He got me on stage; I did a theatre show with him when I was 19. I was doing night work, weekend work and I loved it all.”

It was Donna’s dad who also introduced her to the magician.

“Dad sent me to work with him on school holidays. “You’re bored; go and help,” he’d say.

“I was very much an introvert, but I loved performing and drama. As a child I’d

spent so many nights wrapped in a blanket at theatres during (Dad’s, and sometimes Mum’s) rehearsals.

“I grew up in theatre, but I was a very quiet kid – always the one being picked on and bullied at school.”

She wasn’t doing magic tricks at age 13 –but she started to learn about balloons.

“I was in shopping centres, blowing up balloons, teaching kids how to make dogs out of them,” she said.

Still young, her entrepreneurial spirit began to develop when she came up with her first money-making idea.

“I started to make hand puppets out of sheep skin, and selling them at $2 a shot at school and at markets.

“I saved about $2000 by time I left school.

“We didn’t have much money, so I was into saving.”

“I got a real feeling of success in life with that.”

At age 20, Donna was back working with the magician.

“I became his assistant – you know, the leggy blonde and becoming his clown sidekick for kids shows. We became good friends.

“His girlfriend taught me face painting.

“I was also working in his office – it was a whole new world I’d stepped into and I loved it.”

Some of the magic acts were, if not difficult, then downright dangerous.

Like the ol’ cutting-your-assistant-inhalf trick, for example.

“We had an illusion for that, which involved a piece of material going over [your middle].

“And it wasn’t quite safe for my liking –it was a new prop.

“We did a couple of practice runs, but never performed it. I insisted he make it safe first - I know what it’s like on stage – the adrenaline kicks in, and it’s easy to miss the safety catch - if it’s not in the right spot and the saw comes down … eeek “

But an even worse experience for Donna was “the appearing girl trick”, she said, after one disastrous performance at a corporate event.

“I was in this tiny tin box under hot stage lights. It didn’t look like you fit put a person in it.”

Normally she would only be in it for a few minutes only, but …

“The boss [of the company] came up for a two-minute speech - 20 minutes later the magician insisted ‘He needs to get off the stage! – I have a girl in that box! - she’s going to pass out.’

“He opens the box, and I’m there waiting, with my hair plastered to my face. I was dizzy, sweaty, cramped – and he was all ‘Oh, I’m so sorry – I promise I’ll never do that again’.

On another occasion, Donna got into

another disappearing-act ‘scrape’.

“I severely scraped the whole side of my body on a sharp edge in an illusion where I was trying to get to the next compartment before the audience sees me – I didn’t realise until afterward.

“Magic can be a dangerous business.”

Donna was nearly 26 by the time she left Perth.

“I met a boy – as you do – he was a circus juggler and street performer. He was originally from the Sunshine Coast and had been in Perth a few years.

“We really clicked. But he said ‘I’m going to Queensland – my son’s there’.

“I said ‘OK, ‘bye’. But about two months later, I came over to visit him.

“I was here for about eight days, then said ‘I’m moving [here]’.”

Donna said he was living out of his van and they shared it for about a month, having exhausted their funds flying back to Perth to retrieve Donna’s belongings.

The 10,000 square metre zoo in Xiamen, China

My first competition dress piece took 12 hours; my own wedding dress took more than 30 hours.

Miss Donna entertaining at the Eumundi Markets

“We had $1000 to our name,” she said. The pair worked out of Eumundi Markets to start with.

“It was a stressful start for us, with it being the February/March period with the markets slow in the wet off-season.

“I started making money by doing balloons. [It] developed so fast. I wasn’t trying to do things like magic and facepainting; they already had two facepainters at the market.

“Kids would say ‘Can you make me a koala, a dinosaur. I had a repertoire of 10 to 15 characters, using one or two balloons. It rapidly progressed to more.”

She started her own business at Eumundi Markets – and Miss Donna was born.

“It was a good buzz; I loved the markets, with all the food, the stalls. When I’d first started I only had a bag over my shoulder with balloons and a hand pump – I just roved around, as long as I wasn’t blocking anyone’s stalls.”

Her designs became more complex, so Donna had to stay in one place and not rove.

“Eumundi Markets were the best stepping-stone for me starting my business.”

“You have tourists, locals, you’re in front of people at least 12 hours a week. I’d get birthday parties, radio station promotions, Christmas parties, company sales promotions.”

“There might be some face-painting too, and I might add a little bit of magic, or do pirate shows.

“I like making people laugh; there’s nothing like having a couple of hundred kids sitting there squealing with laughter. The kids get to be loud, they’re interacting, and parents would come up and say ‘I think I laughed more than the kids’.”

And Donna’s favourite gigs are?

“Travelling and doing the shows in the country. Going out roaming with the balloons, doing stage shows – and bringing new things to them.”

She has the occasional ‘brush-with-fame’ moments at Eumundi, too, sometimes without knowing.

“I met someone, who posted a photo of me on Instagram. He had on a baseball hat, beard and dark glasses – I didn’t recognise him.

“Then everyone was saying ‘Did you get to meet him?’.

“Who? It was Gabriel Macht, the Harvey Specter character from Netflix’s Suits.

“One lady said to me excitedly ‘He was at the Royal Wedding – that’s six degrees of separation!’

The balloon world came closer to Donna in 2010 after she attended the Adelaide Fringe Festival, when she learned there were actual ‘balloon conventions’ taking place for artists particularly in the USA.

“I had been training up a couple of girls to work with me, and we went to the first one, in Boston. We saw people doing amazing things with balloons, in fashion shows and competitions.

“The next year I went to Phoenix, coming second in a medium sculpture competition, and the following year I made my fourth balloon dress ever – and also won second place in dress and repeated my second place in medium sculpture.”

Balloon dresses can take many hours to make, she said.

“My first competition dress piece took 12 hours; my own wedding dress took more than 30 hours. I wanted a corset-style top with uninflated balloons with wire inside rather than inflated. It was uninflated, like lace work, the rest of the dress was inflated, with a long veil.”

COVID knocked Donna’s business around, as it did so many artists.

“We lost all our gigs.”

But from difficulty came opportunity for Donna: home delivery.

“Deliveries kept food on the table. For birthdays, anniversaries and Mothers Day; I was doing lots of different stuff.

“I got to be even more creative.”

Donna had met a new man, a fellow Eumundi stallholder, bamboo artist Jason, who after meeting Donna had found a love of balloons.

“His son, when we started dating, said to his dad ‘You were dating Miss Donna? That’s so cool!’ He’d just turned 11 and had seen me lots at the markets.

“Jason and I have been married five years now and are still mushy in love.”

“Jason’s been to America with me, we’ve been to China working on building a giant zoo…”

A balloon zoo?

“Yes, we built a 10,000 square metre zoo in Xiamen, China.

“It was in a huge showroom - all the walls, the trees, the animals were all made out of balloons.

“It was like a walk-through balloon museum zoo, which led to a festival which was happening outside.”

A whole group of balloon artists were involved, along with students to inflate the thousands of balloons.

“After we built the zoo, we built characters for a big street parade that happened every night. We had giant characters and costumes and made 26 dresses for a fashion show on the first night – then I was there to make dresses for every night.

“I was actually in Xiamen the year before the zoo, building a Chinese city with the same group, making balloon dresses for the girls and entertaining.

“The zoo had different [continental] sections with Asia, Africa, America, Europe – I was in charge of building ‘The Great Barrier Reef’, with 10-metre whale sharks, five-metre stingrays, dolphins.

“That balloon zoo made a world record in the Guinness Book of Records in 2017, as did building the city, in 2016.”

Donna and Jason were married in 2018. The ceremony took place over two basketball courts at the Noosa Leisure

Centre, festooned with balloons. Of course. “We built an enchanted forest for me to get married in.

“There was a 10-metre-high balloon waterfall, installed by the guy who organized the zoo in China – he flew over to create it.

“The wedding dress and bridesmaids’ dresses were all made out of balloons, as were the flower bouquets.”

Five years on, and Miss Donna is still a famous fixture at Eumundi Markets –but she also runs her own entertainment agency.

“I’d like to share my knowledge more; I love helping people succeed in life, further their skills. I find it really rewarding.

“I can grow the ‘empire’ now, with the entertainment agency for face painters, balloon artists, shows, stilt-walkers, no problem.”

‘We genuinely give a SHED!’

Donna and Jason’s 2018 wedding

World class 3D wins 2023 Mary Valley Art Festival

JUDGES sparked some intense discussion when they awarded the Best in Show $3000 prize to a three-dimensional entry by Jozsef Pinter at the 2023 Mary Valley Art Festival opening.

More than 170 people crowded into the Imbil Public Hall to congratulate the winners and enjoy the record 330+ entries on show.

Pinter’s artwork titled Space station on Mars was an exceptional and world-class piece, according to artists and judges Llew Brennan and Ian Gunn, who unanimously

decided the award, sponsored by RJR Property. Jean Bennett collected the coveted Bendigo Bank Open Award for her entry titled Wonderment and renowned Gympie artist Kerrie Atkins took home the highly commended in the Open category for her work titled Old logging track. The Masondale People’s Choice Award of $500 was given to artist Cris O’Hare for his artwork Keef and Tanya Winterburn won the Packer’s Prize selected by the art festival committee for her novice entry titled Life by the lake.

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL FOR COOROY MOUNTAIN SPRING FESTIVAL

rainforest walk observation trail with a spot the animal activity, tractor hayrides, a kids activity centre and community displays and stalls. Rotary’s BBQ, Dhom’s Kitchen, ice cream and coffee offer up delicious food options.

At 1pm there is a helicopter tennis ball drop raffle, where 1000 balls are dropped from the air and the closest balls to the spot are the prize winners. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10 with some awesome prizes including a Sunshine Coast Ballooning hot air balloon trip for two, a mower from Yardworx, double pass to Catalina Noosa Saltwater Sunday and more!

The event is a fundraiser with the major beneficiary being Sunshine Butterflies. So not only do you get a great day out, but you also support an awesome cause.

BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT ON LAWNVILLE ROAD

PUT Sunday August 13 in your diary, 7am to 3pm; you will want to be at the Cooroy Mountain Spring Festival!

This popular event provides a once-a-year opportunity to walk up Mt Cooroy and enjoy the magnificent views and panoramas. With only 700 people able to climb the mountain due to Queensland Parks and Wildlife restrictions, it is essential that you book online early to secure your opportunity to walk the mountain.

If you miss out on a ticket to walk the mountain, don’t despair as there is plenty more on offer at the festival to keep you entertained and give you a fantastic family day out. Flights in a McDermott helicopter provide a view of Mt Cooroy from aloft and is an experience you will remember for years to come.

Other activities include live music on the main stage, entertainment fireside where delicious billy tea and damper are made, a

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

The volunteers of Rotary Club of Cooroy make this event happen with support from amazing sponsors including Wimmers, Cooroy Mountain Spring Water, McDermott Aviation, Cooroy RSL, Bendigo Bank, Hinternoosa, Cooroy IGA, John Madill Toyota, Sandy Bolton MP, Yardworx, Gympie Moto, Cooroy Chamber of commerce and Cooroy Landscape Supplies. Tickets to climb the mountain are $20 and for a helicopter ride, $70. Both include festival entry. Festival entry, $10 per person or free for children under 12. Tickets can be booked at www.cooroymountainspringfestival.com.au

Cooroy’s two-lane Lawnville Road bridge will soon undergo a $2.33 million renovation to boost safety and connectivity. The existing 15.8-metre timber Lawnville Road bridge, which is due for replacement based on age and condition, carries about 1,000 vehicles daily and serves as a popular route for cyclists. The new two-lane concrete bridge, to be built by Ark Construction in the same location, will require less maintenance and has been designed to ensure it serves the community well for more than 100 years. With works scheduled to start in early August 2023, the existing bridge will be closed and traffic detoured via Cooroy Belli Creek Road.

TO BE FRANK

The stage life of Frank Wilkie

By Margie Wegener

AS that great Oscar Wilde witticism infers, art can shape the way we see our lives. Quite a few years ago now, the young journalist, Frank Wilkie went along to review a play as part of his job.

He was so affected by what he saw that day, he signed up for acting lessons and was soon at his first audition. Frank didn’t know it at the time, but Noosa Arts Theatre would go on to play a starring role in his life.

For a weekday morning the entrance to the Noosa Arts Theatre is buzzing with busy volunteers, all focused on the upcoming production of Pirates of Penzance. Paint splattered set designers are just leaving, the dressing rooms along the corridor are lined with elaborate and handmade costumes, awaiting the actors. The box office is the engine room and tickets are moving fast online. Most productions completely sell out and this one will be no different.

I am here for a behind the scenes tour and Frank is my gracious host. He has been with the theatre since 2001 and has served on the committee for twelve years, the past nine as President. He has performed over fifty roles with Noosa Arts and is an award winning playwright. You might know him as Councillor Wilkie, Deputy Mayor, but today we are here for a different kind of drama.

Frank and I sit it in the front row of the empty theatre at the foot of the apron stage. I am not sure if it is the presence of the illustrious back-stage ghost, or the dramatic, cosy interior but even empty, the room is alluring.

“I was always sent here as a journalist to review plays and while I was sitting in the auditorium watching a play, all the hairs went up on the back of my neck and I got a strong sense, I could do this. I could do this! And I thought, well

ok, it’s one thing to say that, while you are sitting in the dark in the audience. So I challenged myself to get involved and found they had acting classes here. Then one thing led to another, but I never would have come here otherwise.”

Frank signed up with Mary-Ann Vale, a well known director and actor from Sydney, who was holding acting classes at the theatre. “The Director stuck her head in the door and said, ‘We are hosting auditions for Hotel Sorrento tonight, does anyone want come and read?’ And I thought, well this is the opportunity!” They thought he was a bit young, but Frank told them he was currently working as a journalist and the budding actor got his first role as Dick Bennett, the journalist in the Australian classic.

“I was lucky to get the role right from the start. It felt very natural. Because I was new to the theatre I didn’t want to be the weak link so I made a point of learning my lines quickly and first, and it gave me an opportunity to be relaxed during the performance. I remember it just feeling very natural but I hadn’t learnt techniques such as projection, and stage craft was new, so it was a steep learning curve.”

Frank grew up in Brisbane and graduated in Arts and Teaching before heading to North Queensland where he lived and worked on South Molle Island in the Whitsundays. It was here that he met Palmira and together they came to Noosa in 1996. They married in 2000 and have a daughter Zigi. It was soon after that Frank found the theatre.

From humble beginnings as a tin shed theatre on donated land, the Noosa Arts Theatre today has an admirable reputation, no debt and sell out shows. The theatre’s memorabilia and photographs display a rich, cultural heritage that has been diligently preserved and

Mamma Mia

Anita Wildey and Frank as Sgt William Weathersby Weathersby Watt in a Turkey’s Tail

“LIFE IMITATES ART FAR MORE THAN ART IMITATES LIFE”.

honoured. Back then, like now, it’s a passion for live theatre that motivates the many volunteers who dedicate their lives to the theatre. For Frank the theatre is a source of inspiration.

“This actually gives you energy. It is a distraction from work. You can only spend so many hours a day on council matters. You can let it consume you and drain you and leave you a withered up husk or you can do other things in your life that give you balance and sense of perspective and feed your soul and give joy to other people at the same time. And this is it. This is why I am involved in theatre and why so many are because it gives us, and so many other people, so much joy. It energises you.”

From all the roles he has performed over the years, Frank lists his three favourites as Rohan in David Williamson’s Managing Carmen, Freddy in Williamson’s Travelling North and Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion

“The roles that are given to you, I believe it’s life giving you an opportunity for a lesson. There are often themes in the play that you are doing that mirror aspects of your life at that particular time. So in a sense it is therapeutic. And you’re advocating for that character as well. You’re advocating for that characters perspective, and objectives and motivations and goals. So you are fully for that character.”

Giving voice to characters is something he has also accomplished through being a playwright. Frank has written, directed and toured his plays on the South East Queensland Drama Festival circuit and has original works held by the Australian Script Centre. One of those, Good Grief, a black comedy about a grief counsellor has been performed all around Australia and in India.

Noosa Arts Theatre annual One Act Play competition attracts entries from all over the country and is judged anonymously. “I’ve had two that have reached the top three and one that won the Audience Choice, including a real dark one called The Devil’s Dance, based on the findings of the Fitzgerald Enquiry and how heinous crimes can be covered up. A lot of others always come back, ‘too over the top’. But,

I can see it!” He says laughing. “I love the writing. I don’t get as much time to write as I would like, and more acting roles tend to come along than writing opportunities. Nothing beats the feeling of sitting in the audience and hearing an audience enjoy something that you have written that is being performed on stage. That is another level,” he shares.

After the daunting task of steering the theatre through the COVID years, the leading male romantic role in Mama Mia was a challenge that Frank relished. “I had never sung on stage in a musical in a romantic lead role, solo. Songs with the conveyed meaning and emotion, I hadn’t done that before. The secret to good acting and performing is it’s not about you, it’s about your scene partner, the other actors and the audience so it takes away a lot of the self consciousness because it is not about you.”

Mama Mia, the first post-COVID

production to play to a full capacity theatre, was a huge success and following that Frank teamed up with leading lady Jo Hendrie for a series of performances at local aged care homes. “Jo and I have been lucky enough to be invited to aged care facilities in Noosa where we perform songs from the eras when the residents were young. Songs like that bring out quite a moving response in people.” I had to ask Jo what it was like working with Frank.

“Who would have ever thought that a stage musical featuring ABBA songs would be so deeply enriching for the cast and crew?

What a life affirming experience it was. And what fun,” she told me. “Not only was Frank a strong, wonderful leader to us all during that time, he was a source of lightness, laughter and fun. He’d bring his guitar and harmonica to rehearsals and we’d all enjoy the most fabulous jam sessions. This was when Frank’s and my musical partnership was

born and we’ve been playing together ever since at events and parties and regular visits to the aged care facilities.”

Inside the empty theatre it feels as if time is stood still. The reality outside feels far away, but for Frank, life and art intersect in weird and wonderful ways. “The thing I have learned here (at Noosa Arts), as in life and work, is that you are playing a part. You do your homework, you discipline yourself, you respect the other players and work in with the others and the people behind the scenes. You are one very small part of a bigger picture. You are working towards something that gives delight and inspiration to others. It’s all about the broader community and council is as well. It’s not about you.”

This is why I am involved in theatre and why so many are because it gives us, and so many other people, so much joy. It energises you.

Orton’s farce, ‘What the Butler Saw’

With fellow volunteers Judy Hawksford, Russell Krause and Alison Venning at the Theatre’s Christmas Party

Frank as Captain Cat with the Under Milkwood cast

changing – and staying the same

POMONA’S popular Grow Landscape Yard is under new ownership.

But Luke and Margot Duffy are not out to change what has proven to be a good recipe of landscape materials, plants and garden ornaments, and great service.

“‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is a cliché, but we don’t want to undo the great work of the previous owners,” Luke said.

The pair formerly ran a wholesale plant nursery, Greenglades, in Cootharaba, so they’re no strangers to Noosa Shire.

“We were out there for six years so we’ve been in Noosa six years; before that we were at Airlie Beach,” Luke said.

Margot said Grow looked like a good opportunity, “and it’s such a great area”, she said.

Luke added “Probably 15 or 16 years ago, before I met Margot, I was looking at a property in Pomona.

“I wish I’d bought it [then]! I liked the look of this area, then this opportunity came.”

Margot said they had been Grow customers for years.

“It’s a great little business, as is the town; there’s a real community aspect to it,” she said.

Luke said locals often dropped in just for a chat “and we get the local news”.

The product mix won’t change, but the range might, er, grow, a little bit.

“There’s a real mix of customers here,” Margot said.

“There are a lot of people doing their gardens – and we have a beautiful veggie growing mix; people love it.

“We get tradies, people doing their roads, civil contractors – and the firewood attracts everybody.”

The pair use some of that in a firepit outside the office door, which can help get everyone started on cold mornings.

Luke said they were living “in the big smoke” in Cooroy for the time being and enjoying all the town’s amenities.

Meanwhile all seven staff are staying on.

“They’ve all been here a long time,” Luke said.

“They’ve got a good knowledge of the business and that’s great.”

Grow Landscape Yard is located at 200 Pioneer Road, Pomona, phone 5485 0805. Visit growlandscapes. com.au for more details.

Margot and Luke enjoy their cold-morning firepit outside the Grow office doors

LOCAL LAW FIRM SCORES UNBEATEN CENTURY

CONGRATULATIONS!

COOROY AUTOMOTIVE TURNS 10

SATURDAY August 5 is going to be a pretty special day for one Noosa Shire business.

That’s when Cooroy Automotive celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The all-round automotive repairs and service centre, located in Cooroy’s Jarrah Street has always been well-supported by locals, and owner Tony Bancroft wanted to say just that.

“I’d like to say thanks to all our

customers in the Cooroy community who have supported us throughout these 10 years,” he said.

“Even through COVID we’ve had loyal customers from Cooroy stick with us, so our thanks to them all.”

Tony said there would be no specific celebration at the business, but “we’ll have a normal [end-of-work] Friday afternoon” beforehand.

PROMINENT Cooroy and Noosa law firm SPM Law (Sykes Pearson & Miller) has just turned 100 years old – a big milestone for the region.

“On July 5, 1923, Frederick Barker Sykes purchased the Gympie Stock Exchange for £1000 and set up a solicitor’s office,” SPM Law administration manager Jessica Johns said.

“Over ensuing decades, son Geoffrey, and his son Thomas ‘Rod’, were admitted as solicitors and worked from the Gympie office.

“In the early 1970’s, Rod set up a visited practice in Hastings St, Noosa Heads, shortly thereafter establishing permanently in Noosa.

“By the mid 1990’s, difficult parking on Hastings Street saw the office relocate to Quamby Place where it remains today.

“In 2001, Michael Sobey, who passed in 2022, became a partner in the firm,” Ms Johns said.

Today’s SPM Law is represented by Andrew Markert, Daniel Moisander, Nicole Murphy, Debbie Meadows, Anne Crowley, Jesse Chaplin, Jessica Johns, Rachael Munro, Shae Miller and John Lean.

“In 1987, Rod joined forces with Drew Pearson and Ian Mitch’ Miller to form Sykes Pearson & Miller.

Left to right : John Lean, Daniel Moisander, Andrew Markert, Nicholas Sobey, Rachael Munro and Glen Carpenter

Bushfire season is here

Use storage facilities – at your own property

WHAT’S YOUR WHAT-IF PLAN?

ONCE upon a time, if you wanted to store household items, you could pack it up and deliver - or have it delivered - to a storage facility.

Then on arrival home, realise you accidentally packed an essential item. But these days are over, because Stash + Lode removals and storage company now has smaller, more compact, lightweight containers available to be delivered to your home, where you can ‘stash’ your goods on your own property.

The Cooroy-based business’s general manager, Ben Elphinstone, said it only started this new initiative in January, but it’s taking off rapidly.

“These are prefabricated units from overseas, delivered here as a flat-pack and we assemble them here and rent them out,” he said.

Ben gave an example where a near-Gympie family wanted to re-tile their entire home.

“Everything [in the house] had to come out, so we delivered seven units, arranged on the front lawn while the tiling went on,” Ben said.

“The family has access while the renovations are going on, and they’re avoiding double handling to and from a storage facility.”

For more information go to getready.qld.gov.au or qfes.qld.gov.au

For more information go to getready.qld.gov.au or qfes.qld.gov.au

For more information go to getready.qld.gov.au or qfes.qld.gov.au

“These are novel in that we take the storage to customers. We use a flatbed truck to deliver them, with a forklift at the back, which will pick up the number of (7 cubic metre) boxes required here then deliver to the client.”

Stash + Lode still has storage at its premises where you can use the same units, far cheaper than shipping containers. For more details, visit www.stashandlode. com.au, call 5447 6916, or go to 15 Jarrah St, Cooroy.

but being aware and prepared can protect you, your family and your property.

Bushfires can strike any part of Queensland but being aware and prepared can protect you, your family and your property.

COOROY HANDMADE AND ARTISAN FESTIVAL IS ON AGAIN IN 2023!

IN its third year, the Cooroy Handmade Artisan Festival promises to be a vibrant event, brimming with colors and excitement from the moment attendees step through the doors of the Cooroy Memorial Hall.

With a lineup of over 70 talented artists, makers, and designers, no one will leave empty-handed. The festival provides an excellent opportunity to kickstart some early Christmas shopping!

On Friday, August 25, from 4 to 7pm, visitors can indulge in a delightful ‘shop and sip’ experience. They can purchase a drink, leisurely wander around, and enjoy an evening of shopping without the weekend crowds. It’s the perfect occasion to

NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE

New blend coming soon

gather the girlfriends for a fun night out.

The excitement continues on Saturday August 26, and Sunday August 27, with the doors opening at 9am and closing at 3pm each day. Some vendors may change over the course of the three days, so attendees are encouraged to return and ensure they don’t miss out.

The event’s socials feature daily posts about individual artists, giving attendees a sneak peek of what to expect. It’s a great chance to support these talented individuals and their small businesses and encouraging local and handmade craftsmanship.

Facebook: cooroyhandmadeartisanfestival

NOOSA’S ONLY COFFEE PLANTATION

Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire.

We first planted our 6,000 coffee trees in 2005, nurturing them until we produced the award-winning coffee that we proudly offer today.

100% Arabica No Pesticides Sun-dried Locally roasted

NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE

WHERE TO BUY: IGA Cooroy, IGA Noosa Junction, IGA Pomona, Kin Kin General Store, Cooroy Harvest Fresh, Cooloola Berries, Farmer & Sun Gympie, Tewantin Market Garden, Pomona Little Pantry

NOOSA’S ONLY COFFEE PLANTATION

BUY ONLINE: Get your Noosa Black Coffee direct from the farmer

WWW.NOOSABLACK.COM

Noosa Black is a family owned and run coffee plantation nestled at the head of a picturesque valley near Kin Kin in the Noosa hinterland. We are the only commercial coffee grower in Noosa Shire.

NOOSA’S ONLY LOCALLY GROWN COFFEE

WILD ABOUT NOOSA HINTERLAND

with Tony Wellington

THE Black-shouldered Kite is a handsome, smallish bird of prey with striking red eyes. It can often be seen hovering above grasslands and paddocks while hunting for its favourite food - mice. These birds form monogamous pairs. At this time of year, you may be lucky enough to witness them performing aerial displays, where one will dive-bomb its mate from above, and the lower bird will turn upside down so that their talons meet. Sometimes the male transfers food to the female in mid-air. On other occasions they will lock their feet together and plummet in a heartstopping tumble, releasing their grasp just before they meet terra firma.

Black-shouldered Kites have arguably benefitted from modern humans. For a start, we have introduced the house mouse, which is now the principal source of food for these raptors. Plus, we have removed billions of trees for agriculture, in the process creating vast swathes of crops and pasture which perfectly suit hovering hunters.

Black-shouldered Kite

Studies have shown that these keen-eyed predators have a success rate of 75 per cent when swooping down to snatch prey. Their biggest threat are humans that use rodenticide to kill rats and mice. This can lead to secondary poisoning of our top shelf predators like kites. Great

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT - AT THE GARDENS

The Yandina Street Fair returns!

THE Yandina Street Fair will make a huge return this year on Sunday August 20 for its 43rd year and after a few years of absence due to the ‘Covid era’. Organisers have been told to expect some 5000 attendees.

THE Friends of Noosa Botanic Gardens have come up with an exciting new competition for gardenslovers – a chance for your best photo of Noosa Botanic Gardens to be included in a calendar for 2024which will go on sale and credit the work of each entry.

All you have to do is visit the gardens, capture a special shot (must be JPG or TIF format and landscape style), then send it to events@ noosabotanicgardensfriends.com before the closing date of August 15. Importantly, it should not feature people – just your favourite part of the gardens!

Phone enquiries about the competition can be made to Jill on 0412 053 281 if you need further advice, and winners will be advised in September. Noosa Botanic Gardens are located on Lake Macdonald Drive, about 4km from Cooroy.

Stevens and Railway Streets and the eastern end of Low Street will be awash with people who have come to savour the food and beverage, art and craft, amusements and rides, and on stage entertainment.

The Fair will open to the public at 11am and the day will conclude with a light and laser show on Main Stage at 6.30pm.

There will be some 60 stalls across the route, 3 entertainment stages, children’s rides and amusements, stilt walkers, magic shows, an appearance by ‘Silver Steve’,

Aerial Catz acrobatics, roving puppeteers, a petting zoo, Custom and Classic Cars and a display of art by Sunshine Coast En Plein Air painters, urban sketchers and photographers. Look out for the En Plein Air painters and sketchers presence in Yandina and Districts in the week leading up to the Fair. There will also be a presentation by noted Bush Poet Noel Stallard OAM of his new poem celebrating Yandina.

The event showcases community and talent and is supported by local groups including RSL, Men’s Shed, Baptist Church, CWA, Schools, Rural Fire Brigade, and Yandina Raiders. Many local businesses and the Sunshine Coast Regional Council have generously

provided the much needed sponsorship and in kind support for this year’s Fair. It will be a huge day of celebration for Yandina and districts and will no doubt draw visitors from the Sunshine Coast tourist hotspots.

ARTS ALIVE MALENY

FRIDAY - AUGUST 4

MALENY - MAPLE STREET - 5PM

THE main street will come alive with light shows, art projections, live music, street performances, and interactive art exhibitions, and so much more! www.artsalivemaleny.com.au

ECO

MARKET

SUNDAY AUGUST 6

KIN KIN OVAL, 8AM - 12NOON

LOCAL brothers Frank & Louis are performing live. There’ll be free kids ecotainment by Marc & Milly from Joyology. Check out ecoTekk Noosa’s electric bike and moped demonstrations. Plastic Free Noosa will be there plus we’ll have all your favourite stalls, food, drinks and more. Local dad, Daryl Wheeler, will be running the final laps of the Kin Kin oval in his Fundraiser Marathon

TUESDAY - AUGUST 8

COOROY COMMUNITY GARDENS, 9 - 11AM

JOIN Tim McNeilly from Creative

Cultures to learn more about the ancient art of fermentation. Fermentation can help us to thrive in a state of vibrant health, abundant energy and a robust, adaptable and active immune system. In this workshop, you will be shown some simple methods for fermenting vegetables; make sauerkraut, and cultured carrot/ginger, and sample delicious fermented snacks and beverages.

Free, Bookings required. Phone 5329 6555.

FRIDAY AUGUST 11

COOROY LIBRARY ROOFTOP, 9 MAPLE ST, 5.30PM

MOVIE: THE LION KING

BRING your family, a blanket and a picnic to enjoy a movie together under the stars. Soft drinks and freshly cooked popcorn will be available to purchase. Thanks to the Cooroy Future Group No bookings required. Gold coin entry.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY - AUGUST 19-20

BOKARINA - LAKE KAWANA

CELEBRATED as Australia's original and multi-award winning busking festival, 'Buskers by the Lake' is a weekend of magic, mystique and marvel and over 200 performers will showcase their talents at the 10th anniversary 'Gypsyland' celebration. www.buskersbythelake.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST

CARAVAN & OUTDOOR EXPO

THURSDAY-SUNDAY - AUGUST 10-13

MONTVILLE-MALENY-FLAXTON-MAPLETON

SATURDAY - AUGUST 12

THE Kin Kin Horse ride is organised to benefit the Kin Kin community. It is a walk only ride through the scenic Kin Kin region and the Noosa Trail Network. @Kin Kin Horse Ride

THE Rangebow Festival will feature over 30 events and activities across four days featuring world premieres, authentic first nations food and cultural experiences, cabaret, drag and unique nature and music experiences and performances. www.therangebowfestival.org

FRI, SAT, SUN AUGUST 18 - 20

NAMBOUR SHOWGROUNDS

THE very latest models of caravans, motorhomes, campervans, camper/tent trailers and slide-ons, plus Queensland Tourism information will be on display during the three day event.

www.caravanqld.com.au/show/lets-gosunshine-coast-caravan-outdoor-expo/

THE RANGEBOW FESTIVAL

CINEMA ON THE ROOF TOP

THE KIN KIN HORSE RIDE

KIN KIN SPORTS GROUND OVAL

BE entertained with popular country, including more diverse, crowd-pleasing favourites. Guest artist the energetic Allan Reed! Raffle and door prizes, BYO lunch, free tea and coffee.

PICK

SCONE TIME

$20 per kilo. Paella Sunday’s is back with food, wine and live music, 1 to 4pm. www.facebook.com/CooloolaBerries

GYMPIE MUSTER

save the date

NOOSA CLASSIC CAR SHOW

THURSDAY-SUNDAY - AUGUST 24-27

AMAMOOR CREEK STATE FOREST

WITH more than 100 artists, performing in 6 venues, over 4 days, The Gympie Music Muster is Australia’s original and best camping and music experience. Showcasing a mix of country, roots, blues, folk and rock music as well as workshops, bush poets, Gympie Mazda Kid’s Club and more. @GympieMuster2023

MARY VALLEY SHOW & RODEO

SATURDAY AUGUST 26

-SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3

NOOSA HEADS

A festival of performances every day over nine days in concert theatres, on river cruises at sunset, in restaurants and bars and an outdoor concert at a riverside park. A unique gathering of leading Australian and overseas-based jazz musicians coming together for a feast of exciting, classic jazz. www.noosajazzclub.com

HORIZON FESTIVAL

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3

NOOSA SPORTS COMPLEX - TEWANTIN

COME and enjoy all the style, passion and history on display at our 2023 Father’s Day Classic Car Show. The event will showcase the wonder of the automobile, past present and future. www.noosacarclub.com.au

NOOSA COUNTRY SHOW

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16

KENILWORTH SHOWGROUNDS - 8am RIDES, Jumping, Exhibits, Woodchopping/ Chainsaw, Rodeo, Band, Food & Bar, Laser Show & Fireworks. Tickets only at gate, not online. Cash only. www.kenilworthshowgrounds.org.au/show-rodeo

SATURDAY - AUGUST 26

IMBIL SHOWGROUNDS

A great event full of fun and festivities from 8am – late featuring the Railway Hotel Imbil's Super All Round Rodeo. Rides, entertainment, ring events, show jumping, stud cattle, poultry section, woodchop, chainsaw racing, pavilion & more!

@Mary Valley Show Society

FRIDAY - AUGUST 25

SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 3

VARIOUS PLACES ALL OVER THE COAST

10 days including various events , and they’re (almost) always in spectacular locations. There’s music, art, theatre, dance, workshops, ceremony, and plenty for the family.

www.horizonfestival.com.au

The Tradition Returns

YANDINA STREET FAIR

Sunday August 20th 2023

FRIDAY-SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 8-9

POMONA SHOWGROUNDS

THE Noosa Country Show "where town meets country" is a long-standing country institution, with a mixture of ring events, displays, competitions, entertainment and, of course, food. The show instills a true sense of community that brings us together like no other event in the Noosa Shire. @NoosaCountryShow

SEPTEMBER 11 - OCTOBER 2

MARY VALLEY

@maryvalleyscarecrowfestival

NOOSA OPEN STUDIOS 2023

OCTOBER 6 - 15

https://noosaopenstudios.com.au

MARY VALLEY SCARECROW FESTIVAL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happiest 3rd Birthday to our Marshall Love you infinity Mummy, Daddy and the tribe xxx

Volunteers from the Noosa Shire Museum celebrate receiving funds for the Cooroora Historical Society, granted from the Federal Government’s Stronger Communities.

Above: Sonder Directors Mark Price and Gabby Sutherland, First Nations Ambassadors Cholena Hughes and Jandamarra Cadd at the NAIDOC opening at Sonder Gallery, Cooroy.

Left: Cholena Hughes, Nikita Fitzpatrick and Aunty Sharon modeling Cholena’s own textile artwork.

Llew O’Brien MP, together with the Cooroy Pomona RSL , hosted a policy round table discussion with the Shadow Minister for Veteran Affairs Barnaby Joyce to discuss the improvements that need to be made to Veteran service.

YOUR SEASONAL PRODUCE WATCH with Matt Golinski

OYSTER MUSHROOMS

OYSTER mushrooms get their name from their oyster like shape, but that’s

about as far as the seafood connection goes. Their flavour is mild and earthy, and they have a lovely slippery texture when quickly sauteed or stir fried. I always prefer to just tear them into strips along the lines of their gills rather than chopping them, that way they retain their naturally beautiful shape and mouthfeel. They come in a range of colours including whites, greys, yellows and pinks.

Very popular in Chinese, Korean and Japanese cuisine, they are just as suited to European dishes where they are a highly prized wild foraged mushroom amongst cooks all over the continent.

In recent years, many small producers of these beautiful mushrooms have popped up in Australia, supplying direct to restaurants, farmers’ markets and fruit shops, and we’re lucky enough to have two very dedicated growers in this region, Scott from Tagigan Rd Produce, and Alexander from Eastwell Farms. Growing these mushrooms is very labour intensive and the process so fraught with potential failures that these guys need to be half farmer and half scientist, and their commitment to their businesses is one that requires them to be switched on 24/7.

Oyster mushrooms are packed with umami, the savoury sensation that deepens the flavour of other ingredients, so they’ll enliven any pasta dish, salad or stir fry.

They marry well with things like butter, olive oil, garlic, chilli, soy sauce, vinegar, pasta, rice, cheese, eggs and meats.

SAUTEED OYSTER MUSHROOMS, GOATS CHEESE, BLACK GARLIC AND ROCKET ON GRILLED SOURDOUGH

INGREDIENTS:

300gm oyster mushrooms, roughly torn

1 clove garlic, sliced

20gm butter

150gm goat cheese

4 slices sourdough bread

4 tbs olive oil

1 cup rocket leaves

40gm black garlic, sliced

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

METHOD:

Heat the butter in a heavy based frypan and saute the garlic quickly, then add the mushrooms and fry until softened and lightly coloured. Season well with salt and pepper.

Lightly brush the sourdough with a little of the olive oil and grill on a hot BBQ or grill pan until golden and crunchy.

Spread the goat cheese generously onto the sourdough and top with the mushrooms.

Add the rocket leaves and black garlic and dress with the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serves 4

BOOKS with Hayley Saunders

THE GOOD SISTER – SALLY HEPWORTH Sisters, secrets, and unexpected twists.

Fern Castle likes stability, routine, and structure. She works at the Bayside Public Library and has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. Fern dislikes loud noises, crowds and bright lights, which, due to her autism, often cause sensory overload.

Rose has always been Fern’s protector and the twins both know how dangerous it can be when Fern’s routine is disrupted.

Rose is married to Owen and looking forward to starting a family, however when Rose discovers she is unable to have children, Owen moves to the UK for an extended break. Fern hatches a plan to help her sister and to thank Rose for taking such good care of her. Fern can have a baby for Rose.

A chance encounter with Rocco (or Wally as Fern likes to think of him), a homeless American living in his van, sees her scheme start to fall into place, but despite all her research, this is an idea that will test Fern in many ways.

The novel is told from alternating points of view, using Rose’s diary entries and flash backs from their childhood, and from Fern’s daily experiences, which offer an interesting and observant insight into her everyday challenges.

As the novel progresses, the reader understands that perhaps not all is as it seems, and the story starts to move into darker territory, uncovering unexpected secrets, sibling rivalry and an unreliable narrator.

Fans of Australian writer Sally Hepworth will already know how well she captures the family dynamic and if you haven’t yet read The Good Sister I recommend adding it to your list.

BERKELOUW BOOKS EUMUNDI ARE GIVING

AWAY A COPY OF THE GOOD SISTER

BY SALLY HEPWORTH

Email hello@yourlocallifestyle.com.au and you will enter. You will need to collect from the Eumundi store. 87 Memorial Dr, Eumundi. FB @BerkelouwBooksEumundi

MULTICULTURAL MORNING

COME share our diversity together with a Multicultural Morning at Sunshine Coast Libraries all through August. Enjoy live music, sample a tea of the world, explore the eBook collection of 25 languages or join in the Conversation Circle. 10-12pm live music and conversation

• Wednesday August 2, 10-12pm

Maroochydore Library: Innessa

• Tuesday August 8, 10-12pm

Nambour Library: Hayden Hack

• Tuesday August 15, 10-12pm

Kawana Library: SoLar

• Thursday August 24, 10-12pm

Coolum Library: Andrea Kirwin

• Tuesday August 29, 10-12pm

Caloundra Library: Skillz FJ Free. Registration not required.

STORYTIME AND RHYMETIME

REGULAR Storytime sessions help your child discover the magical world of books and reading. Rhymetime helps your baby develop pre-literacy and language skills.

Storytime sessions: ages 2 to 5 years.

• Coolum library: Thursday, 9.30–10.30am

• Kenilworth library: First Wednesday of the month, 9.30–10.30am

• Nambour Library: Wednesday, 9.30–10.30am Rhymetime sessions: 0 to 2 years.

• Coolum Library: Wednesday, 9.30–10am and 10.30–11am

• Nambour Library: Tuesday, 9.30–10am and 10.30–11am

No Storytime or Rhymetime sessions are held during school holidays.

Thursday

Bookings

SONGWRITER ANDY COWAN: A SOULFUL AUSTRALIAN SENSATION

ANDY Cowan, a renowned performing songwriter, stands out as one of Australia’s foremost talents in the music industry. With his impressive keyboard skills, Cowan has played alongside notable artists such as Renee Geyer, Ian Moss, Kevin Borich and Madder Lake He possesses a voice that invites comparison with the blues of Muddy Waters, and the soul of Ray Charles. But Cowan’s musical prowess extends beyond his vocal abilities. His piano and keyboard performances exude both vibrant energy and melodic beauty, earning him accolades such as

Blues Album of the Year 2000, Blues Performer of the Year 2001, and Male Performer of the Year 2003. Notably, his album ‘10.30 Thursdays’ garnered an ARIA nomination. Andy is currently performing on the Sunshine Coast with his new band ‘Andy Cowan and Big Mamas Door’. Joining Cowan on stage is Christian Dunham, a renowned electric and double bassist known for his collaborations with artists like Matt Moffitt, Margaret Urlich, and Kevin Borich. Completing the band is Duncan Macqueen, an accomplished drummer with a rich musical

background. From Melbourne to S.E. Asia, London, and major music centers in the US, Macqueen’s professional journey has seen him collaborate with musicians from groups like Steely Dan, Allman Brothers, and Sha Na Na.

Special guest DOC SPAN, a US ex-pat has spent his life on the road, performing, writing, and recording and sharing stages with icons like Screaming Jay Hawkins, Kevin Borich, and Jon Lord of Deep Purple. Performing at the Noosa Arts Theatre, Friday August 11, 7pm. Tickets $30. www.andycowan.com.au

Arts Alive Maleny: A spectacular sensory circus

ARTS Alive Maleny is a vibrant event hosted in the main street of Maleny that brings the whole town and the incredible talent of the arts community to life, all in one evening. It is a circus of the senses where everyone is invited to come and immerse themselves in the unique world class talent that resides in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

As the sun sets, the main street will close to traffic, and come alive with lanterns, light shows and art projections, live music, street performances, and interactive art exhibitions, installations, dance, puppetry, and theatre, comedy, poetry, and pop up

workshops, along with a range of intimate gatherings in local cafes and restaurants, artisan stalls and so much more!

The event is the brainchild of local artist, performer and community arts advocate Steve McLeish. After being in the dreaming for many years, 2023 is the year it will come to life!

“Arts Alive is an event like no other and the first of its kind at this scale in Maleny,” shared Steve.

“The vision is to have the artists of Maleny and surrounds showcased and celebrated, and to shine a massive spotlight on the talent we have right here in the

hinterland.

“Maleny is an arts village and we punch above our weight when it comes to talented artists. It’s incredible how many people have started here in Maleny and have gone on to perform internationally, so having an event like this brings all of this to life and gives the whole Sunshine Coast an opportunity to come and experience this talent in a diverse and immersive way!”

Arts Alive Maleny will be held in Maple Street, Maleny on August 4. The street will close from 5pm; people are encouraged to purchase tickets online prior to the event. www.artsalivemaleny.com.au

The big sky alt-country round up!

GET your dancin’ boots on and get your mates together for the Big Sky AltCountry Round Up. Big Sky will feature the finest purveyors of Alt-Country this side of the border with a line-up that features Hussy Hicks, Hat Fitz & Cara, Larry Mitchell (USA), Delsinki and Bud Rokesky. Dress-ups are encouraged!

HUSSY HICKS

Straddling the line between folk, blues, country, rock and roots, Hussy Hicks have earned themselves a mighty reputation, growing from festival openers to festival favourites, with the group now appearing at the biggest blues and roots festivals in Australia, the USA and across Europe.

HAT FITZ & CARA

Classed as ‘Convict Rhythm and Roots’, Fitz and Cara are among Australia’s most talented roots music artists. The husbandand-wife team have clocked up over 14 years of worldwide touring, festival performances and five album releases.

LARRY MITCHELL (USA)

Larry Mitchell is a Grammy Award winning guitarist, producer, engineer and first-class performer. Showing incredible versatility, Larry has toured the world playing guitar with well-known artists including Tracy Chapman, Billy Squier, Ric Ocasek and the list goes on, even to Steve Vai.

DELSINKI

Like some sort of city-bound bush poet, Delsinki sings of his environment - from carbon monoxide and asphalt plains to lockdowns and the dream of escape - and he feels the ever-present lure of nature.

BUD ROKESKY

With his rich and resonant voice, reminiscent of Orville Peck and Waylon Jennings, and song writing that has been likened to that of Johnny Cash and Townes Van Zandt, it’s Rokesky’s outstanding live performances that will draw you in and

leave you wanting more.

As part of the event, a special Art & Craft of Live Music Photography Masterclass with Lachlan Douglas (Tivoli, Princess Theatre) will be held on the same day (Saturday August 26) from 12pm – 5.30pm and will culminate in the opportunity for aspiring photographers to test their new techniques at the Big Sky Alt-Country Round Up. Tickets are limited.

Saturday August 26, The Brewery @ The Imperial Hotel Eumundi. Tickets are $35 (+ booking fee) and available through Oztix. Doors open at 5pm, with music from 5.30pm.

EXPERIMENTAL LIFE FORMS: INTERNATIONAL TRIENNIAL OF MEDIA ART

NOOSA REGIONAL GALLERY.

AUGUST 6 TO OCTOBER 1, 2023

26 boundary-pushing international and Australian artists showcasing art across robotics, bio art, screen-based works, installations, participatory and generative art. Curated by Jonathan Parsons, Lubi Thomas, and Jessica Clark, the exhibition thoughtprovokingly engages with ideas of how new understandings of biological and artificial life are challenging humancentric thinking.

Entry to the exhibition is free. www.noosaregionalgallery.com.au

Official opening event is on Saturday 5 August from 5.30 to 7.30pm. Free tickets are available via the website.

Hussy Hicks

NOOSA JAZZ FESTIVAL EXTRAVAGANZA

FOR jazz lovers, Noosa is the place to be for a feast of traditional jazz at the Noosa Jazz Festival, which brings together leading Australian traditional jazz musicians who are among the world’s best.

It starts on Sunday afternoon, August 27, at Noosa Jazz Club’s home for its monthly concerts, The Majestic Theatre, Pomona, one of the best live music venues around, featuring members of Melbourne’s famous band, The Syncopators

On Tuesday, bands on board the Riverboat Shuffle cruise ferries are departing the Noosa Marina between 4.30

and 5pm to entertain passengers who, after disembarking, will then be ushered to the Noosa Italian Restaurant for dinner and a jazz concert with the combined bands from both ferries.

Over the following three days, there are choices of luncheons and dinners featuring some of Australia’s best individual jazz musicians in bands and ensembles, creating an exciting program of improvised traditional jazz at Miss Moneypenny’s and Café Le Monde in Hastings St, at Noosa Springs Resort and at Lucio’s Marina, Tewantin.

The Festival’s centrepiece event, held at The

MAJESTIC THEATRE POMONA WINTE R SEASON

AUGUST

5th – Majestic Comedy Night 2023 – Local Comedians get their chance on the Majestic stage live.

10th – Fanny Lumsden – “Hey Dawn” Tour

13th – Majestic Organ Recital – Hear the 1937 Compton in full flight with Brett Cavanagh & Debbie Fitzsimmons

22nd– Wildflowers – Melissa Fraser, Raychel Stone & Clare Quin celebrate the ‘Trio’ albums.

27th – Noosa Jazz Festival Launch –“The Syncopaters” - 7 piece jazz outfit

Performing classic jazz through to mainstream

SEPTEMBER

8th – Eddie Ray – Silence of the Jams - Comedy

9th – Darren Hanlon & Emily Lubitz – Indi Folk plus more

17th – Wendy Mathews – Live & Intimate

23rd – Melonie & The Madmen – Blues & Funk

MAINSTAYS

Silent Films 12 noon every Saturday

Noosa Jazz 4th Thursday of the month in 2023

J Theatre in the heart of Noosa, runs from 5pm on Thursday August 31, and Saturday September 2, with an afternoon matinee on Friday September 1, starting at 1pm.

The festival wraps up on Sunday afternoon, September 3, with an exciting free jazz concert at the Riverstage, Noosaville, for visitors and families celebrating Father’s Day. Take advantage of early bird discounts for ticketed concert events at The J and The Majestic. For more details and to buy tickets, go to www.noosajazzclub.com or email info@ noosajazzclub.com.

WHO’S BRINGING THE SOUL TO CALOUNDRA MUSIC FESTIVAL?

Music lovers are in for a huge treat at this year’s Caloundra Music Festival (CMF) with US band Arrested Development scheduled to exclusively play for two days. Kiwi band Katchafire, who have a huge fan base here in Australia, will also make a welcome return to the CMF stage.

With a line-up that appeals to a mix of music genres and ages, this year’s festival is going to be packed with sun, surf and soul over three days from September 29 to October 1 at Kings Beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

The two international bands join an array of great artists already announced including Busby Marou, Illy, Jack River, Jarryd James, Kasey Chambers, L.A.B (NZ), Sampa the Great, Spiderbait, The Temper Trap, Thirsty Merc and Vera Blue.

Festival fans can go all-in with a weekend pass or buy day tickets with the artists playing days now live at www.caloundramusicfestival.com.

Cooroy Handmade Cooroy Handmade & & Artisan Festival Artisan Festival

Artists Makers Designers

Cooroy Memorial Hall

25 August 2023 4pm to 7pm Shop & Sip

26 & 27 August 2023 9am to 3pm

Melbourne’s famous Jazz band, The Syncopators

Art, Life, and Sea @ CBFAC

NEXT months exhibition program at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre is packed full of art and artists.

Seven artists deck out all the gallery spaces in painting, ceramics, and carvings in an engaging series of exhibitions that not only explore the sea as a theme but life’s journey itself.

After a refreshing exploration of life and detail beneath the sea by Prudence Coburn and Beatrice Prost, our local art elders reveal how age is not an impediment to creativity. Recently added to the mix of exhibitions is the work of local 85-year-old Averil McFarlane, a resident of Cooroy Village.

Averil’s exhibition titled A Life’s Journey is a selection of works on paper and canvas from a vast archive of artwork she has made over the last 50 years. Averil’s life was one of hardship. From a very poor family in South Australia, she left home at 14 married at 15, and worked long hours

vegetable picking and dairying but still managed to do night classes in art. She then took up Opal mining and in her later years travelling with her dog, barramundi fishing in the Northern rivers and metal detecting for gold. Her works cover a diverse range of subjects from landscapes, rivers, shearing sheds and old homesteads. This exhibition celebrates her hard life and supports one of our community’s elder stateswomen.

Exhibitions include Prudence Coburn – In-depth, Beatrice Prost – Oceanic Apnea, Vit Martinek, Anna Howard, Ellen Terrell, and Dennis Forshaw – Another Day, Another Way and Averil McFarlane, - A Life’s Journey

All exhibitions open on Friday July 28 at 6pm and run until August 27. Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre, 11A Maple Street Cooroy. Phone (07) 5442 6665.

TALL TREES COMMUNITY ART EXHIBITION - REPLANTED FOR 2023

THE Tall Trees Community Art Exhibition returns to Cooran this September 16 -17.

Established by local hinterland artists for the community in 2012, Tall Trees Art Inc. has built a strong reputation over the years as one of the most popular community run Sunshine Coast Art Exhibition hosts.

After years of organising this event and establishing a strong following, in 2022 there was an enforced absence due to the pandemic. Fast forward through the last few difficult years for the community,

and thanks to generous donors including Bendigo Bank Cooroy, and a talented volunteer team of curators and art connoisseurs, the Tall Trees committee is pleased to bring the Tall Trees Art Exhibition back to the community in 2023.

This year’s event will again see art exhibited in various main street businesses and premises with the centrepiece, the Cooran Memorial School of Arts Hall, transformed into an art gallery for the weekend.

The event will also feature ‘Small Trees’, a dedicated space for artworks by local

children, aged 8 and under.

Tall Trees Art Inc President Dean Marsh stated “To ensure the success of the event, the Committee is encouraging local artists to apply to exhibit as soon as possible. We are also calling out to the community to assist in many aspects of running the event over the exhibition weekend.”

Applications close September 1. All entrants need to be members of the Tall Trees Art Incorporated Association. For more information and entry details, head to www.talltreesart.com

Averil McFarlane’s Lorikeets

Tall Trees Exhibition 2023 entrant, artist Kathleen Hunt

Noosa Open Studios 2023 Meet the artists

IN 2023, THE NOOSA OPEN STUDIOS EVENT HAS OVER 100 ARTISTS OPENING THEIR PRIVATE ART SPACES TO THE PUBLIC. FOUR OF OUR ARTISTS SHARE HERE THEIR PERSONAL JOURNEY.

GABI TIMM

Gabi is a jeweller from Weyba Downs.

What influenced your creative journey?

At a young age I went on an art excursion in the bush and I picked up found objects and made a woven vase. For the first time I felt the joy of creating out of something found in nature. I have never stopped collecting and being inspired by our amazing natural surroundings.

What inspires you now?

Nature, beauty, simplicity of form, and experimenting in new materials and methods. I have collected such objects as burnt-out tyre wire and broken glass in the NT, or pebbles from WA that are always a new inspiration in my artworks, either sculptures or jewellery.

What advice would you give to creatives?

Do art every day. Don’t let all the excuses in life get in your way. Start small as sometimes big projects are overwhelming. Just play. Experiment. Get messy. Get out of your head.

Steve is a painter from Peregian Beach.

What influenced your creative journey?

When I was a toddler, my greatgrandfather would sit me on his knee and teach me to draw. That got me started on this lifetime journey. In my 20s I finally got motivated to start painting. It wouldn’t be until my late 50s and retirement that I really started learning my craft properly. I’ve been enjoying the journey ever since. What do creative arts bring to our community?

I think all creative arts, especially those done by local creatives, enrich the community. They provide something beyond just the daily sleep-eat-work-eatsleep grind.

What has the creative arts given you?

Art works that we love on our walls. If only we had more wall space!

Being able to create my own work has given me a tangible sense of achievement. It’s my hobby, not a living, so I can go down paths that may not be profitable. It’s given me a level of confidence that nothing else in my life can match.

Neita, a former jeweller, is now a ceramicist from Peregian Beach.

What influenced your creative journey?

I majored in Jewellery and Gold and Silversmithing at RMIT in Melbourne. I then spent years working as a jeweller for leading manufacturers in London and Cape Town.

Having spent 40 years on and off making jewellery it was nice to have a change. As I had done ceramics in my school days and loved it, it was a simple choice. What inspires you now?

I have a desperate need to be making, and with clay the possibilities are endless. As a person who gets bored easily and likes challenges, it offers many different skill levels to try.

What has the creative arts given you?

It enabled me to pursue my love of making things. It’s been a great way to meet like-minded people and make new friends. What advice would you give to creatives?

Everyone can make things – some better than others but that doesn’t matter, just give it a go.

Lorna is a painter from Marcus Beach. What influenced your creative journey?

I found myself in my 30s in a new country, married with small children, so the need to express my experiences and feelings of place became strong and I started to paint. Painting has provided a place of freedom, where I can be myself. What inspires you now?

My work is abstract expressionist and I try to respond to my feelings, both in the present and the bigger issues of belonging, community, and alienation. What do creative arts bring to our community?

I think the exposure to artists ideas, thoughts, creations and how we respond to these individually and as a community gives us both beauty and insight into ourselves.

You can get similar insights on over 100 artists while attending the Noosa Open Studios event from October 6 to 15! It is a great opportunity not only to see high quality art, but also meet the artists.

STEVE SCAMP

NEITA BAGE

LORNA GOLDRING

SPAMALOT - A RIOTOUS SPECTACLE

LITTLE Seed Theatre Company invites you to ‘find your grail,’ this September and October as they present the musical, Spamalot at the J and at The Events Centre, Caloundra.

Spamalot (also known as Monty Python’s Spamalot) is a stage musical with score by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, with lyrics and book by Idle. Based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the musical offers a highly irreverent parody of Arthurian legend. The original 2005 Broadway production directed by Mike Nichols received 14 Tony Award nominations, winning in three categories,

including Best Musical. During its initial run of 1,575 performances, the production was seen by more than two million people and grossed over $175 million. It was one of eight UK musicals commemorated on Royal Mail stamps, issued in February 2011.

Spamalot builds on Little Seed’s rich history of presenting full length musicals performed by some of the Sunshine Coast’s best emerging young performers. With recent hits such as FAME! , Beauty and the Beast and The Addam’s Family Values Little Seed has established a strong reputation for high production values and outstanding performances. Leading the cast of Spamalot

this year are Thomas Moulds and Ashlyn Hehir. Ashlyn is a year 12 student at Noosa District State High School and has just completed her second year performing as a featured soloist for The Creative Generation in Brisbane. Audiences may recognise Ashlyn from her stand out roles as Serena Katz in FAME, The Operatic Wardobe in Beauty and the Beast and as Wednesday in The Addam’s Family Values. Thomas Moulds is in his senior year at Sunshine Beach State School. Last year Thomas played Nick Piazza in FAME! and featured as Hortensio in this year’s Shakespeare at the Lake, The Taming of the Shrew. With over a decade of dance training, Thomas is also currently in rehearsal for the Sunshine Coast Youth Theatre Festival where he will perform as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Audiences can expect a riotous spectacle with flamboyant costumes, a fun set and beautiful vocals. With Travis Macfarlane as lighting designer the lights will be sensational and the cast lead by Thomas and Ashlyn will bring enough joy and energy to power the Sunshine Coast.

Playing at The J Theatre on September 2830 and at the Events Centre Caloundra on October 7. This is a show not to be missed. Tickets available at www.littleseed.com.au

AUSTRALIAN

WEARABLE

ART FESTIVAL VENUE 114, BOKARINA. AUGUST 11-12

A spectacular fusion of sculptural art and fashion – where Gaultier meets Picasso. This year’s event will feature 40 national and international works showcased on a 27-metre long catwalk spanning three shows. The finalists represent diverse locations, including Poland, Germany, the United States, Queensland, and other parts of Australia, reflecting the festival’s growing international appeal. To attend the festival, tickets can be purchased by visiting www. australianwearableart.com.au/

Little Seed’s Spamalot cast hard at work in rehearsals

AMAMOOR

EVERY SATURDAY - 7am - 11.30am

EVERY WEDNESDAY - 9am - 12noon

Amamoor Train Station

EUMUNDI

THE ORIGINAL EUMUNDI MARKETS

EVERY WEDNESDAY 8am - 2pm

EVERY SATURDAY 7am - 2pm

THE Original Eumundi Markets is the biggest artisan market in Australia. www.eumundimarkets.com.au

YOUR LOCAL

GOOMBOORIAN

MEMORIAL HALL MARKETS

EVERY 2ND SATURDAY 8am - 12noon Goomboorian Memorial Hall

IMBIL

IMBIL SUNDAY MARKET

FARMERS & CRAFT MARKET

EVERY SUNDAY 8am - 1pm Yabba Creek Road www.maryvalleychamberofcommerce.com.au @ImbilMarkets

KENILWORTH

KENILWORTH MARKET

EVERY SATURDAY 8am - 1.30pm Art, crafts, food, music,fashion etc. kenilworthmarketssecretary@gmail.com

MARKETS

POMONA

KIN KIN

KIN KIN MARKET - NOOSA HINTERLAND

1ST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH

8am - 12noon

KIN KIN Creations Market is a market for all people who have made their own products, or grown their own produce. www.inkinkin.net/Markets

NOOSA FARMERS MARKET

EVERY SUNDAY 6am - 12noon

Weyba Road Noosa Heads www.noosafarmersmarket.com.au

MARINA MARKETS

EVERY SUNDAY 8am - 1.30pm

2 Parkyn Court Noosa www.noosamarina.com.au

DOTS TO DESTINY @ THE ORIGINAL EUMUNDI MARKETS

‘DOTS by Donna’ is a new market stall of fascination at the Original Eumundi Markets.

But Donna is not a new face on the creative talent scene. For over a decade, Donna’s artistic pieces have adorned homes world-wide. A multi award winning visionary, her art features in exhibitions in New York, Sydney, and Melbourne…just to name a few.

So how did the journey begin for this Sunrise Beach Mum? It began with a meltdown and a blank piece of paper. A new mum, Donna was trying to juggle an exhausting full time job, a hubby, and a sixteen month old. She felt she was losing her sense of identity. Needing to vent she

grabbed a pen and started dotting a blank piece of paper in front of her. Those dots became a picture. That picture changed her destiny.

Unbeknownst to Donna, hubby took a photo and proudly posted it on his Facebook page. It became an instant hit. Initially wanting to throttle him, Donna finished the drawing and reposted it. The orders came flooding in. She gave up her day job and they have never looked back.

“Each drawing is not forced it is sensed, with an innate calling to bring it to life,” says Donna.

“It becomes a form of art created with the discipline of patience, made up entirely of methodically placed dots known as

stippling and pointillism; that become personalities and conversation starters. Each piece is original and takes between 40 to 200 hours to complete.”

This internationally award winning artist is changing the way we look at art. Prints, wall decal, tea towels, stationery. ‘Dots by Donna’ is another of the fabulous stallholder stories just waiting to be discovered at the Original Eumundi Markets, Wednesday and Saturday, rain, hail, or sunshine.

POMONA COUNTRY MARKETS

EVERY SATURDAY 7am - 11.30am LOTS of great stalls, food and music. pomonamarketsqld@gmail.com.

YANDINA

YANDINA COUNTRY MARKETS

EVERY SATURDAY 6am - 12 noon

Plants, local produce, secondhand items. @YandinaMarkets· Flea market

SPRING TO IT! with Erin Yarwood

LIFE IS TOO SHORT

OK folks… let’s talk legs!

Let’s face it… legs are an area that are often overlooked and ignored a little by the male of the species.

And although women are usually more motivated to tone their lower half, they can sometimes get scared into thinking they’re going to bulk up or get too muscley, especially if including the use of weights.

So, let’s pin this down, and get right to the bone…!

Not only do you tone and strengthen your legs by working them… focusing on your legs while working out can help you in numerous other ways too.

Here’s just a couple of the benefits…

Boosts metabolism

The thighs and glutes are big muscles in the body, therefore working them requires quite a bit of energy. And when you’re building muscle mass, your body is constantly burning calories.

Helps with balance

Focusing on your legs during your workout can help to maintain good balance, which is vital in everyday life. Especially as we get older.

If you include the use of balancing devices, like a bosu ball, this will get the stabilising muscles in your feet and ankles

etc working hard, which all helps to improve balance.

Keeps joints strong and healthy

Working your legs and performing exercises like squats and lunges helps to keep your joints healthy, as they are multi joint movements. Keeping your joints strong and supple is super important in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.

Works your core

Even working purely with bodyweight, but especially under load, makes you activate and work your core nice and strong. And leg work is no exception. When exercises are performed correctly, with great form and full range of movement, the core is activated and having to work all the time. Making leg exercises amazing core exercises too!

Increases mobility

Being able to perform leg exercises correctly and with ease is so important in maintaining great mobility throughout your everyday life. Even simple things like being able to pick something up off the floor, get yourself back up to your feet from being on the ground or even getting up from a really low seat for example is so vital in staying fit, mobile and independant. Here are some awesome simple yet

effective leg exercises to include in your workout:

Squats

Simple, but oh so effective. The humble squat can be performed by just using your bodyweight. You can also use dumbells or kettlebells, a loaded bar even a booty band. Adding explosive movements like squat jumps will pick up the heart rate and boost aerobics and cardiovascular fitness.

The options and progressions are endless. You will never get bored!

Lunges

Lunges are a great exercise, that help to work the body unilaterally. Often, we will have one side of the body that is a bit stronger than the other, so working individual sides is very beneficial in getting a nice even workout. Lunges are great to help work on balance and are especially good for working the core. Again, just like squats, they can be done using weights but just bodyweight is great too. They are also great performed with power and explosiveness.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are an awesome exercise, if performed correctly with good form. They help to strengthen the hamstring muscles and the back, so are perfect in maintaining

good healthy posture. Which in turn helps to alleviate back pain and weakness. They are an exercise where you need to really master good form and proper technique before increasing the load.

So, the next time you’re planning your workout regime, make sure you add your legs into it. And if you already do, ramp it up a little. Get creative, mix it up and have some fun.

Jump to it! (don’t skip it).

Awakening to possibilities

and surprises, I discovered a sense of fulfilment and an invitation to explore new possibilities. I am deeply humbled by the transformative power of this journey.

NUTRITION with Sarah Gray

A dream etched on my calendar this year became a vivid reality, sparking an extraordinary journey that would forever change my perspective. I’d been meeting with a group of women online for four years, and I had a yearning to meet them in person. Canada seemed like a central location and somewhere I’ve wanted to explore.

As I shared my aspirations with my group our conversations blossomed into when, rather than if. We conspired to find dates that worked for everyone. Before I knew it, I had booked a flight and the trip became real. The universe intervened in a truly magical way, providing an unexpected opportunity that covered the entire trip’s expenses.

Returning home, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude. Amidst the twists and turns, imperfections,

In retrospect, the path to achieve this goal was beautifully uncomplicated: setting a goal, engaging in heartfelt conversations, taking bold action, and fearlessly embracing the unknown. Internally though, I had to confront personal barriers including financial concerns, meeting with people I’d only met online, and leaving responsibilities at home. Most of all I had to welcome discomfort and stretch my limits. I think this is the true purpose of goals – to ignite growth, overcome challenges and expand our being.

I am forever changed by this profound experience. And whilst I want to say it was the ‘trip of a lifetime’, I refrain from this because I know this is just the beginning. So beautiful reader, where in your life do you yearn to awaken to the limitless possibilities that lie within?

Margit Cruice is an experienced Life Coach based in Tewantin.

KICKING GOALS with Margit Cruice www.margitcruice.com

DO YOU HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD?

accessibility, cultural and social influences, and even psychological factors.

A healthy relationship with food should make eating feel effortless. If we are connected and in sync with our hunger cues and satiety, we will listen to our body and know when to eat and when to stop.

Noosa Community Support is changing its name to Noosa Seniors

Heading

The change to Noosa Seniors better reflects who we provide services for in our community.

Noosa Community Support will be renamed Noosa Seniors from 14 August 2023.

THIS question evokes myriad responses and vague looks, and let’s be honest, most people have no clue as to what it means.

Believe it or not your relationship with food is one of the most important relationships you will ever have in your life. Just like any other relationship it requires, kindness, constant care, awareness and honesty. This is especially beneficial when our goal is to become the healthiest version of ourselves. If we don’t do the work we often are not successful for the long term, and results maybe short lived.

Eating is a biological necessity and ultimately sustains life. However there are so many facets to food choices and behaviours including cost, education,

If we are flexible around food choices, we should not feel guilty over foods we consume. This would include not restricting ourselves from certain food groups or including ‘cheat days’ into our busy schedules because we feel deprived or as a reward system.

A healthy relationship with food would not include binge eating or feeling down, depressed and bad when you overindulge.

You control food, it does not control you.

Food is just food. Eating certain foods should not make you feel weak or inadequate. There is definitely help out there if you are ready to reset your relationship with food and be proactive with your health.

You are what you eat!

www.foodtrition.com.au, @foodtrition1

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Noosa Seniors will continue to provide high quality services, such as in-home support, home maintenance and modifications group activities, podiatry plus transport support for medical appointments.

Please visit our Seniors Hub at 11 Wallace Drive or give us a call on (07) 5329 6175.

email: noosaseniors@noosa.qld.gov.au visit: nooosa.qld.gov.au/noosa-seniors

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Pomona Community House August Workshops and Games

‘BETWEEN NOW AND THEN’ WORKSHOP

bring those ideas into our lives between now and when we die. This is a workshop for people of all ages interested in a down to earth, creative and sometimes humorous conversation about a difficult topic. Please note this is not a workshop for people grieving a recent loss or who require counselling.

WILLS AND ENDURING POWER OF ATTORNEY WORKSHOP

Pomona & District Community House is hosting a workshop ‘Between Now and Then’ on Sunday, August 6. In line with the principles of Dying to Know Day, the workshop is designed to foster deep conversations about the one thing all humans have in common – death. The workshop will explore the notion of having a full and vibrant life while navigating a pathway for dying that stays true to our values.

Supported through expressive and creative journaling, participants will discover and delve into our inner narrative about death and dying and how we can

On Wednesday, August 16 from 9.3011.30am, Suncoast Community Legal Services are running a workshop on ‘Wills and Enduring Power of Attorney’ in the Lawson Shed. Find out all that you need to know. Bookings essential.

BEACHSIDE POMONA

The month caps off with an opportunity to get together, connect and have fun at ‘Beachside Pomona’ Friday August 25, 3pm4pm. It’s nearly Spring, lets get the games out! Chess and jigsaw on the verandah, and boule plus giant jenga on the lawn. The PCH Zine Swap wall is also being launched. Come check out zines from our young people and add yours to the wall. This is a chance to express something important to you, and to learn what’s important to others in your community. Don’t know what a zine is?... then come along! All ages. All welcome. 1 Memorial Avenue, Pomona. Pomonacommunityhouse.com.au 07 5485 2427.

THE WOW Sand n’ Surf is an awesome wellness program. While designed for men, these sessions are open to all genders interested in meeting new people, improving their mental fitness, and learning to surf.

It’s a six-week surf therapy program designed to connect people from all walks of life using surfing and the ocean. People can make new friends, learn about wellbeing, and focus on being the best version of themselves –all while learning to surf!

Each week, wellness discussions are paired with learn to surf lessons. Programs are open to those 18 years and up.

Noosa beach: Thursday August 10, 6:30-8 am. To register head to www.foundationwow.org/sand-n-surf

TAKE A HIKE IN THE HINTERLAND with Andrea Taylor

Maroochy Wetlands Sa nctuary

THE Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary established in 1989 is located in Bli Bli, and is beautiful from the moment you walk in. We spent over an hour walking around and I was surprised that I had never heard about this place.

Nestled in the back of Bli Bli this amazing place is also accessible by boat. With plenty of room to picnic on the grass with the family, there are no picnic tables but a couple of shelters with chairs, and toilets are on site.

The recreational trails are elevated over the wetlands with a 2m-wide path which is perfect for prams and wheel chairs.

This place thrives in the most extreme conditions from fresh rain water to salty tides from the Maroochy River. This is definitely a winner with the kids, with over 200 birds residing in the area and plenty of little critters to discover. As you make your way through the mangroves you will reach the Maroochy River where you can take in the views of the river on the pontoon. On your return you will be thrilled to discover an information board telling you all the crustaceans you can find including the fiddler crabs, with their large orange pincer claw as well as shell fish and sweet little butterflies. It’s more than mangroves, you can also see the dry eucalypt forest, casuarina woodlands and rain forests. Take into consideration the tide as you will see more crabs and critters while the tide is lower.

We visited in cooler weather and spent just over an hour wondering around. Remember your insect repellent as I can only imagine the mosquitoes would be pretty thick in warmer weather.

The Poetry trail is also a part of the wetlands where you can listen to audio poetry. Additionally, beside the wetlands is McMartins Strawberry

farm, open June to October, Tuesday to Sunday 9am-4pm where you can enjoy picking a couple of punnets of strawberries.

As always remember your hat sunscreen and water. I also love hearing about your adventures so if there is somewhere you have been and would like to share let me know!

Happy hiking everyone. Enjoy

Lots of cute crustaceans to find!

Elevated paths over the wetlands

Cooroy’s own tre e of knowledge

THE Bendigo Bank Community Pavilion is nearing completion and will take centre stage in the Cooroy Community Garden on the official family friendly opening day, Saturday, September 2.

Volunteers from Permaculture Noosa and the wider community including local school children have finished construction on the pavilion walls which began in February. The pavilion structure, designed by Brett Grimley to include an inner building made from cob walls, also houses a kitchen, store-room and office. Cob walls are built by hand (and foot!), layer by layer, from a material made by mixing 25% clay and 75% sandy aggregate with straw.

Elena Moctezuma with a Masters in Sustainable Building, as principal builder of the cob walls and outdoor cob pizza oven, was ably assisted by an enthusiastic and energetic bunch of school pupils. The students joined her weekly, from start to finish, as part of their subject, Earth Building.

“They were integral builders of this project. They were a part of the whole process. They were really interested in the subject and learning how to build with mud and other materials. I have seen since the beginning, so much learning, so much growth,” Elena says about the students.

As well as developing cob building skills the students, aged between 13 and 15 years old, learnt to work as a team and were involved in the creative design of the walls. Elena is proud of their achievement, “This project really allowed them to know themselves. One of the students was very involved in the creative process of the tree and I think he had this massive understanding of himself, knowing that he is very artistic and creative. So now he looks at the building and the tree, and says, I did that. They even built the cob pizza oven themselves.”

Find out more at www.permaculturenoosa.com.au

Elena with the volunteering students Ayla, (Elena), Zoe, Oli, Riley and Dom

Oli really enjoyed the creative process

All hands on deck to make the cob walls

Elena Moctezuma, Sustainable Design Manager with the pavilion cob wall featuring a large tree design

August bliss: Bring vibrant beauty to your garden

AS August ushers in the beauty of spring, gardening with Australian native plants becomes a pure joy. The vibrant colors and textures of these gorgeous plants, coupled with the bustling wildlife and low-maintenance care, create an enchanting experience in the Australian winter garden.

COLOURS AND TEXTURES

August brings forth a stunning masterpiece of colors and textures as Australian native plants proudly display their blooms. From the cheerful golden wattles to the fiery red bottlebrushes and delicate Hovea flowers that provide pops of purple, the diversity of hues will bring your winter garden to life.

One cannot overlook the star of the Australian winter garden: Grevilleas! These iconic plants come in a wide range of sizes and colors, offering an impressive selection. The vast diversity of leaf shapes among the various wattles, the soft delicate foliage of delightful Leptospermums, and the lush backdrop created by the foliage of Banksias offer endless opportunities to create your own Australiana botanical masterpiece.

EMBRACING BIODIVERSITY

Our native plants are more than just visually stunning; they’re also a beacon for local wildlife. In August, many of our beloved birds and insects come out to play, and our native garden becomes their ultimate playground.

With native plants, you’re not just creating a garden, but a thriving ecosystem that supports our precious wildlife.

DROUGHT TOLERANT BEAUTIES

Australian native plants are experts in surviving and thriving in dry conditions. Their remarkable adaptations, like deep root systems and waxy leaves, allow them to conserve water efficiently, making them a sustainable and water-wise choice.

Happy gardening!

YOUR LOCAL NATIVES

with Jacinta, Natives R Us www.nativesrus.com.au

DISCOVER OFF-GRID LIVING AT THRIVING EXPO!

THE Off Grid Lifestyle Expo offers a weekend filled with fun and excitement for all ages! Building on the success of the previous year’s event in Goomeri, the organizers are excited to witness the Expo’s continued growth and development. With over 70 exhibitors already confirmed, they are still open to welcoming more businesses that focus on Off-Grid living and self-sufficiency.

The Expo’s core focus revolves around two main themes: providing practical

equipment and knowledge for off-grid living, and empowering individuals to become self-employed and create abundance through crafting and creating. There will be workshops, activities, and a fantastic lineup of presenters over the two days.

For a convenient stay, Tent City Hire will provide accommodation for vendors and visitors from Friday to Sunday nights. Wondai Show is on Friday and Saturday nearby, making it a perfect weekend getaway to

explore the beautiful communities in the area. Tickets for entry, workshops, and activities are available online and also available on the day at $10 per adult per day or $15 for the entire weekend. Under 16 can enter for free. Bring small notes and coins as ATMs are limited.

All welcome, including friendly dogs! Visit www.offgridexpo.com.au or call Di at 0419 224 628 or Dee at 0434 630 510 for more information.

Exhibitor Easy Microgreens will be sharing knowledge in the Speakers area

ADVENTURES on the Sunny Coast

WE live in a veritable adventure playground with all our beautiful summits, bushland and waterways. If you are a beginner looking to dip your toes into the world of adventure activities I suggest starting with some of our beautiful hikes as suggested by Andrea in many previous YLL editions.

I’ve covered our incredible Mountain Biking infrastructure and summiting our spectacular peaks in previous editions so lets explore some other adventure activities. Rock climbing, Coasteering and Creeking are three that I enjoy regularly.

Creeking is one that really brings out the kid in me. Wandering up a meandering creek, clambering over and around rocks is an activity that brings back wonderful childhood memories. Kids absolutely love this type of adventure. In winter our creeks are often pretty dry so it can be a good time for this activity as they are less slippery. Summer is my favourite time as the creeks often have a nice flow and swimming is a part of the adventure. When we take the young grandkids we always include life jackets for the swims and give ourselves plenty of time. Creeks tend to be shaded places and kids get cold easily so warm dry stuff is important. Polypropylene layers tend to keep you warm even when wet. Good drybags including all your usual bush safety kit are essential.

Creeking also has a more extreme cousin called

Canyoning which involves a very specific set of skills, including bush navigation and rope skills. Coasteering is something most of us have done at some point in our lives. Exploring our beautiful rocky headlands can be a fun family activity. Coolum and Noosa have some great coasteering with caves and rockpools. This activity is one that needs little skill but a good amount of common sense and caution, as waves and tides can be extremely dangerous in these places. Rock Climbing and Abseiling are activities that will enable you to get to those places inaccessible on foot, but they will require skills that need to be taught by experts like Mason Minto at Climbing Guides Australia. There are many, many magnificent locations on the Sunny Coast for all levels of rock climbing and abseiling. Point Glorious and Mt Tinbeerwah are a couple that many cut their teeth on. Mt Beerwah, Mt Tibrogargon and Mt Cooroora have some absolutely magnificent climbs to suit all climbing levels. Remember to start slowly, seek proper instruction or guidance when needed, and prioritise safety. Adventure activities offer an exciting way for you and your family to step out of your comfort zones, connect with nature, learn new skills, embrace new experiences and most importantly, for many build confidence and mental resilience.

Stay safe and all the best. Andy Flanagan, nature lover & adventurer

Coasteering Noosa

Creeking Obi Obi

Abseiling Tibrogargon

Congratulations Hannah Boden

Hannah, a year 10 student at Good Shepherd Lutheran College (GSLC), won the QLD Interschool State Show jumping Championships at Toowoomba over the holiday period.

Hannah spent 4 days in chilly Toowoomba, competing as one of 350 riders representing 240 schools. She won the secondary 1m jumping event- QLD State Champion. She also came 7th in the secondary 1.10cm jumping event. Hannah has now been given the Golden ticket to ride for GSLC at the National Championships in September.

We wish you and your horse the best of luck in your next competition, Hannah.

COMPETITION AND SOCIAL LAWN BOWLS IN COOROY

SEASON 1 of the High Rollers and Business Bowls competitions has just ended with the next season due to commence in September 2023.

The Business Bowls competition was won by the Pages.

Congratulations to Alan Page, Eric Kenzler and Gary Page who each took home a $100 meat pack voucher from Wrights Butchers, one of the Club’s sponsors.

Congratulations to the Yandina team, Mitch

Ward, Greg Smith and Tom Brook, who took out the High Rollers trophy this season.

The Cooroy Community Bowls Club is looking for bowlers and/or teams of three bowlers to compete in their Business Bowls and High Rollers competitions. Business Bowls are played on Wednesday nights from 6.30pm to 8pm, and High Rollers on Thursday nights from 6pm to 8pm. Both competitions are mixed three bowl triples.

If you are interested in bringing along a team of three, or just yourself to join an

existing team, the following members are contacts for further information:

Business Bowls -Mike on 0411 878 341 High Rollers - Maureen on 0419 588 661 or Eileen on 0411 666 967

Social bowls are played every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon at the Cooroy Community Bowls Club located at Your Mates Bowls Pub, 5 Opal Street, Cooroy.

If you are interested in playing, there is no need to book, simply turn up at 12noon. For further information regarding social bowls contact Maureen (Club President) on 0419 588 661.

Mitch Ward, Greg Smith and Tom Brook, who took out the High Rollers trophy this season. Pictured with the boys is another of the Club’s sponsors, Ray Smith from optometry@cooroy

PETS OF THE MONTH Meet

Hi, I’m HUGO

Breed: Border Collie / Kelpie (Mixed)

Gender: Male

Age: 6 years

Friendly, active, gentle and smart. I love people and kids, would love to be a companion dog. I need an active dedicated person/family who knows the needs of a working dog. I love to run and chase the ball. I would be good on a secure large property with colorbond fencing to reduce fence line activity.

Hi, I’m TIGER

Breed: Australian Cattle Dog (Mixed)

Gender: Male

Age:1 years and 3 months

I’m a active, fun boy who is looking for my forever home. As I am a working breed I am going to need a family or owner that will provide me with mental and physical stimulation to keep me busy and active. I’m very smart and eager to learn. I do need secured fencing to keep me safe.

While navigating life our bodies hold stress in our nervous system like kinks in a hose. These blockages accumulate causing dysfunction, leading to illness and increasingly debilitating disease.

Your body is always striving to maintain it’s instinctive healing integrity … it’s time to trust it’s wisdom with this powerful technique.

LLEW O’BRIEN Federal Member for Wide Bay

IN the last couple of weeks my good friends and Parliamentary colleagues - the Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud, and the Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs Barnaby Joyce - visited communities in the Noosa Hinterland.

David and I met with representatives from local groups in Cooroy and Pomona that received Australian Government funding to support their delivery of services and activities in the community.

David and I were present at the very first graduation ceremony of PTSD Dogs Australia at the Cooroy RSL. This local organisation is transforming the lives of both dogs and people, and I acknowledge Angie Weeks and her dedicated team for the work they do in rescuing dogs who rescue veterans and first responders.

PTSD Dogs Australia, Pomona Meals on Wheels, and the Cooroy-Pomona Lions Club, all received funding from the Volunteer Grants program. The Lions Club also received funding from the Saluting Their Service program to install a memorial seat and plaque at the Pomona Rotunda War Memorial. The Noosa Museum was awarded funding from the Stronger Communities Program, to protect their valuable data and pave the way for making their collection available to the

wider public.

Barnaby Joyce also visited Wide Bay recently, and together we met with members of the Tewantin-Noosa, Cooroy Pomona, and Mary Valley RSL Sub Branches as part of our policy development process.

We had productive and wide ranging discussions with veterans on topics including mental health, drug and alcohol services, education, and advocacy, as well as DVA benefits and processing times. We came away with number of policy recommendations raised by Sub Branch members that merit further evaluation.

It is clear that we need to be doing more to support our veterans, ensuring the services they need are available to them. If Australia is to provide the programs and support that veterans who have served our nation need, we must examine policies that boost recruitment, incentivise military service, and improve transitional arrangements to help people move from military to civilian life.

It is easy for us to say thank you for your service to our veterans, but far harder to put in place the resources they need in civilian life. It shouldn’t be, and we need to fix this. It just needs the will to do it, and Barnaby and I have given our commitment to not give up the fight.

SANDY BOLTON State Member for Noosa

EVEN though not in the Noosa State Electorate, the lack of progress on the Cooroy intersections is of concern. As highlighted in my budget reply speech, both Noosa and Nicklin State Electorate residents are at risk daily from these. The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) previously investigated options of both roundabouts and traffic signals as part of early planning for upgrades in response to our advocacies. They identified traffic signals as the preferred option for safety, pedestrian access and to avoid private land resumptions, however at that time the community did not support this, and in response to my recent letter to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, we have been advised no funding is currently allocated. In efforts to have these intersections made a priority for upgrading, please add your voices by writing to NCR_Planning@tmr.qld.gov.au. Whilst doing this, if you live within the Noosa State Electorate, please cc us via noosa@ parliament.qld.gov.au or if you live in the Nicklin State Electorate, please cc Rob Skelton MP at nicklin@parliament.qld.gov. au. If you are unsure which electorate you live in, call my office on 5319 3100. Once there has been some feedback, if required, in conjunction with the Nicklin State MP Rob, we shall request a community meeting for TMR to re-engage with the community on this.

It was good to catch up with Daniela and Olivia from SEQ Water for an update on the Lake Mcdonald dam replacement project which had been delayed due to a review. This has now been completed, and we shall have further information including on any community engagement in the coming weeks.

On the Pomona front, our advocacy resulted in a meeting with representatives from Noosa Council and TMR to further discussions on a crossing to provide the best safety for all who traverse Factory St daily to access essential services. The outcome was a location for an island put forward by Council, which is being assessed by TMR regarding pavement strength, loss of car parks etc. and they will come back as soon as completed. It was great to see an agreement, and we will update when further information is provided.

With so much time between columns, please stay ’in the loop’ via Noosa 360 with updates on a range of important issues we are working on. In addition, follow ‘Sandy Bolton MP’ on Facebook to receive information as soon as available, and subscribe to our e-newsletter at www. SandyBolton.com/Newsletters which also ensures you are advised when Noosa specific surveys are held. Always, if you have any questions or require assistance regarding state related matters, do not hesitate to contact my office on 53193100, Until next month, Sandy x

NAMBOUR CBD SURVEY

IF you’re a Nambour local, you might’ve seen me and my team out and about this past couple of weeks!

My staff and I have been out and about this week speaking to business owners in Nambour CBD about how we can make our town an even better place to live, work and shop.

I don’t accept recent negative media reports inspired by the local LNP attacking Nambour. So I need to hear from all of our business owners, workers and residents to ensure Nambour gets a fair go!

Have your say on how we can make Nambour great by visiting bit.ly/ NambourCBD

I look forward to hearing from you!

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR ELECTRICITY REBATE YET?

There are up to 270,000 Queenslanders still missing out on their electricity rebate!

The 2023 State Budget included an additional $700 electricity rebate for vulnerable households, on top of the existing $372 concession.

For concession and seniors card holders in Queensland, this means $1072 off of their electricity bill this financial year!

If your Mum, Dad, grandparent, neighbour or friend could be eligible, check in to see if they are aware of what they could be claiming.

It’s as simple as calling your energy provider and registering your seniors, veterans or concessions card to your account.

Last month’s state budget marked the biggest investment in cost-of-living relief in the history of Queensland. That’s why I want to make sure everyone is getting the help they need.

It’s our progressive coal royalties that mean we can deliver this generous rebate to help Queenslanders feeling the financial pinch.

To check if you’re eligible for the $1,072 rebate, visit: https://www. concessionsfinder.services.qld.gov.au or contact my office at 5406 4100.

CLARE STEWART Noosa Mayor

THE focus of Council’s record $171 million budget has been firmly on building infrastructure, continuing to look after the environment and provide vital community services, while keeping rate increases to a minimum.

It’s a financially responsible budget for the economic climate and for most property owners rate increases are below CPI.

The significant $39.4 million capital works program is on top of the $80 million QRA-funded flood recovery program, which we as a Council have to deliver through our infrastructure team.

Hinterland capital works include:

• $496,000 to build missing links in the hinterland pathway network.

• $75,000 to replace Cooran Park furniture.

• $45,000 to restore the Noosa Botanic Gardens Wedding Chapel.

• $2.08 million for the Lawnville Road Bridge renewal.

• $475,000 to continue shire-wide gravel road re-sheeting program.

• $4.29 million for the road reseal program. We’ve put aside around a million dollars for parks, playgrounds and sports facilities this year and $1.5 million to upgrade public amenities.

There’s a 50% increase in land conservation and rehabilitation investment to facilitate more Land for Wildlife and Voluntary Conservation agreements, plus funding for our Environmental Grants has increased by 6%.

There’s over $1 million for Community grants this financial year.

Our focus on keeping rate rises down means 75% of ratepayers will have an average rate rise lower than CPI. In fact, 4000 property owners will have a drop in their total rates bill because of the mechanisms implemented to combat unprecedented land valuations.

The average residential ratepayer will see a 5.5 percent increase on their total rates notice - equivalent to an extra $1.72 per week.

Although we did our absolute best to reduce the impact of state-governmentimposed land valuations (a whopping 62.5 % average increase across our Shire) a number of outlying properties were unable to be captured and will incur a significant rate rise.

As a Council we worked incredibly hard to mitigate the impact of these land valuations on our residents as we all understand the financial pressures on people across our shire due to substantial cost of living increases.

With this in mind, all eligible pensioners will now receive the full rebate of $230 per year whether they are single or a couple and we have frozen all levies to keep the rates bill as low as we can.

To take advantage of our 5% early-bird discount on general rates be sure to pay by the August 18, 2023.

ROB SKELTON State Member for Nicklin

real estate

UNCOMPLICATED LUXURY: NOOSA HINTERLAND

up onto a huge covered Alfresco.

The sophisticated yet relaxed master suite with spacious dressing room occupies its own wing of the home and has a stunning view of the gardens. The ensuite offers a hotel-like experience, with a double vanity, walk-in shower, and a luxurious freestanding bathtub. The children’s wing boasts three queen-sized bedrooms with walk in robes, a spacious family room and a large family bathroom with a luxurious freestanding bathtub. A spacious yet comfortable media room provides the perfect space for family movie nights. The residence exudes timeless luxury and features modern amenities including smart home automation, automated entry gate with intercom, 7 zone Fujitsu ducted air conditioning, DC ceiling fans in all rooms and automated garden irrigation and outdoor lighting. A multi purpose shed with over 130 sqm of floor space is accessed by a dual driveway and provides ample space for storage and those precious lifestyle assets.

THIS picturesque Noosa Hinterland estate exudes uncomplicated luxury and privacy. Completed in 2021, the newly built classic coastal style residence features the expected modern amenities yet is timeless in its design.

The 1.26 acres of manicured gardens were designed by an award-winning landscaper and feature a grand stone fire

pit area, 10 x 6 metre saltwater pool and expansive flat, grassed areas. The property is fully gated and fenced for maximum privacy. Set in a quiet cul-de-sac location yet conveniently located close to Noosa beaches, cafes, and restaurants, the residence is a relaxing haven.

The expansive single level weatherboard and rendered residence

is framed with plantation shutters. It’s high ceilings and neutral colour scheme create an airy and welcoming feel.

The gourmet kitchen showcases classic shaker style cabinets, island bench and induction cooktop. Ample storage and preparation space adjoin the butlers pantry. Adjacent the kitchen, the generous living area opens

Price: Offers Over $4,500,000 4 2 14

Address: 52 Nylana Way, Doonan

Agent: David Berns

David Berns Real Estate

Phone: 0408 629 438

If you are thinking of selling feel free to give me a call for your complimentary market update and an inclusive overview of how to enhance the sale of your greatest asset.

‘WOONDUM ESTATE’ NOOSA HINTERLAND PARADISE!

are simply breathtaking.

Water management is made easy with two dams and an efficient irrigation system in place, ensuring a reliable supply for various purposes. The property’s fencing is well-suited for cattle, making it ideal for livestock farming. Cattle yards further enhance the functionality of the land, providing convenience for handling and managing the livestock.

If you’ve been dreaming of a Noosa Hinterland escape with endless possibilities, this 71.5-acre haven is your answer. Whether you aspire to live a self-sufficient lifestyle, enjoy breathtaking vistas, or embrace the wonders of nature, this property offers a rare chance to fulfill your dreams.

Price: $1,850,000

3 1 3

THIS remarkable 71.5-acre property presents an unparalleled opportunity to own a slice of paradise in the Noosa Hinterland.

With its awe-inspiring views of the surrounding mountains and ocean, this land boasts a setting that is truly second to none. As you enter through the electric gate and traverse the long

driveway, you’ll be greeted by a vast expanse of cleared land, providing an ideal canvas to create your dream home. Whether you envision a spacious family home, expansive sheds for storage or hobbies, or any other structures that your heart desires, the possibilities are endless. A studio on the property adds

versatility and offers potential and an abundance of storage. The property’s exceptional location adjacent to Woondum National Park immerses you in the beauty of nature, providing absolute privacy, tranquility and a sense of connection to the environment. Sitting at an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, the views

Address: 303 Tablelands Road, Cooran

Agent: Alisa Wythes Hinternoosa

Phone: 0415 111 370

“COOLWATERS”

Vikki Young Mobile 0498 117 081

Trevor Grady Mobile 0428 373 777

Greg Gilmore Mobile 0427 828 409

Geoff Seng Mobile 0448 533 590

Warren Smith Mobile 0403 037 211

Jenny Algie Mobile 0437 191 212

Peter Scott Mobile 0458 958 286 www.tomgrady.com.au Phone: (07) 5482 6622

DISCOVER “Coolwaters” at Belli Park, an exquisite property with a captivating tree-lined entrance.

This luxurious home offers comfort and elegance, boasting a grand formal living area with high-end finishes. The master suite, accessible via internal stairs, features a private sitting room, spa room, and ensuite. Enjoy the scenic views from two balconies attached to the suite. The spacious timber kitchen overlooks the pool and formal dining area. Three additional bedrooms with their own bathrooms open to a second living area or sunroom, leading to the pebble beach pool and a charming gazebo. The property encompasses 8 1/2 acres of picturesque low-maintenance gardens and paddocks bordering Belli Creek.

Ample parking, a three-bay lock-up garage, and a closed-in stable complete this remarkable property, offering endless possibilities, whether for a tranquil retreat, farm stay, or potential business ventures like a Bed and Breakfast or wedding venue. Don’t miss out.

Price: $1,890,000

4 4 3

Address: Belli Park

Agent: Vikki Young

Tom Grady Real Estate

Phone: 0498 117 081

NORTH FACING ACREAGE, MINUTES TO TOWN

THIS fully fenced 10.4 acre property tucked away down a no-through road, offers private, peaceful, country-style living just a five minute drive to town, local schools, and rail, complete with a charming home boasting a resplendent northerly outlook across the property and beyond to the mountains.

The home is a split level, quality-built steel frame home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the upper level and a cosy lounge, central kitchen, dining room, laundry and powder room, flowing out to an expansive north facing covered deck.

Long term owners have maintained the home in impeccable condition and features include raked ceilings in the lounge, split system air-conditioners x 3, woodburning fireplace, marble tiled benchtops in kitchen, ceiling fans, dual vanities in ensuite, separate bath and shower in the family bathroom, solar hot water, and 5kW solar power.

Infrastructure on the property includes fencing, circular driveway, 4-bay shed with shower and toilet - 2-bays with extra high roller doors, double carport, 15,000-gallon water tank, potting shed, 5,000-litre tank, and old cattle yards. The grounds are fully useable and

livestock friendly, there are two dams, and a variety of fruit trees including grapefruit, mango, banana, lemon,

BOUTIQUE AGENCY –BESPOKE SERVICE

We are an award-winning agency with a 20-year local history. Dedicated to providing a boutique service with experienced agents passionate about real estate, we strive to create a positive experience for buyers, sellers, renters and landlords. Recently, awarded winners at the 2023 National Real Estate Business Awards for Sales Campaign of the Year, we are incredibly proud of our team and our achievements.

orange, paw paw, chilli, also coffee. Leafy native and tropical established gardens around the home attract a

delightful array of birdlife, butterflies, and bees.

Whether riding your pony around the property, enjoying a BBQ on the deck after a morning at the beach, picnicking by the dam with a glass of wine and a hamper of home-made goodies, or keeping toasty and warm by the fire in winter with a good book and hot chocolate, this is a truly lovely place to call home.

With town amenities just a short drive, quick easy access to the Bruce Highway, and 30 minutes to Noosa Main Beach - you can savour the delights of acreage living without sacrifice. Buyers in the market for useable acreage offering gentle semi-rural living close to major services, will find 146 Ferrells Road has your name on it

Price: Contact Agent 3 2 2

Address: 146 Ferrells Road, Cooroy

Agent: Kimberlea & Eliot Krause Countryside Realty Noosa

Phone: 0409 920 861

LIFESTYLE MASTERPIECE

THIS custom-designed lifestyle masterpiece on a fully useable 2.05 acre parcel offers contemporary sophisticated family living with stunning interiors and expansive alfresco entertaining.

Split level, with a well-designed floor plan placing the master retreat with exclusive deck in its own separate wing, the home is complete with elegant entry foyer with striking water feature, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, premium chef-designed kitchen, open plan living and dining, fully equipped home cinema with raked seating, covered and open air decking overlooking the 10.5 metre lap pool, plus a double lock up garage and 6x9m double bay shed with adjoining office. High ceilings, spotted gum timber floors, plush carpets, wood burning

fireplace, resort-style ensuite, stone benches, quality appliances, 4-metre breakfast bar, and a third bathroom with shower and toilet on deck are just some of the many features that enhance value, appeal and liveability. It is the perfect low maintenance acreage parcel just eight-minutes to Pomona, and 25 minutes to Noosa.

Price: Contact Agent 5 3 6

Address: 28 Elandra Terrace, Pomona

Agent: Stacey Hitch Countryside Realty Noosa

Phone: 0411 429 499

EXPERIENCE the pinnacle of refined living in this remarkable sanctuary nestled within an enviable tree lined street in the prestigious Hinterland town of Pomona.

Crafted in quality, the home retains the charm of the original Queenslander with polished timber floors, VJ walls, typical architectural timber features and high ceilings, whilst adding the luxuries of modern living. This charming house proudly sits on a 792sqm block only a 2 minute stroll to the centre of Pomona. There you can enjoy a coffee in one of the many cafes, browse through the quaint local shops, enjoy a local beer in the country pub, or settle in for an afternoon at the iconic Pomona Gin Distillery.

I have been quietly informed that it is the best piece of real estate in the best street in Pomona, but don’t take my word for it; come experience the beauty of this property yourself. Call Simon on 0449 254 616 to view this refined Queenslander and secure your slice of timeless charm combined with modern indulgence.

Price: $925,000 2 2 3

Address: 16 Rectory St Pomona

Agent: Simon Adams

Noosa Hinterland Real Estate

Phone: 0411 429 499

TRANQUIL PARADISE AWAITS

NESTLED on a sprawling one-hectare landscaped block, this Tinbeerwah home offers the perfect blend of privacy and convenience. With four bedrooms and two bathrooms, the split-level, skillion roof design has wrapping timber decks and two sheds. The master bedroom, tucked away from the others, provides a personal retreat, while the well-planned layout enhances family living.

The heart of the home is a spacious kitchen, adjoining an open-plan dining area and a vast family living space with a double-sided fireplace. The mostly covered timber deck has picturesque views of lush lawns, tropical gardens, and a tranquil dam while the property’s treelined perimeter ensures utmost privacy.

An ideal location, a 5-minute drive to Tewantin and 10 minutes to

Noosaville and Cooroy, this home offers easy access to amenities. The beach is only 15 minutes away, and mountain bike trails are across the road. Multiple schools are nearby, and the convenience of a local pizza shop adds to the appeal.

Its well-designed interior, picturesque surroundings, and attractive amenities make it an ideal investment opportunity or the perfect canvas for future renovations.

4 2 3

Address: 5 Waterlily Lane, Tinbeerwah

Agent: Brendan Weatherill Property Providore

Phone: 0466 248 345

MAXIMUM tourist exposure at the junction of the Noosa Trail Network and ever upgrading Kin Kin highway provide emerging potential for this original art metal precinct in tandem with the reinvention of the jewel of the hinterland. Multiple opportunities exist for this cultural centre including farmers’ markets, events, continuing art workshops, coach and day visits, Air BnB, home business, health/healing professionals, coffee roastery or wedding/party venue set in the iconic art space nestled in the rolling hills at the gateway to Kin Kin.

The immaculately manicured fruit bearing gallery garden, almost two acres, features an iconic shed, envy of the region, with an extensive art metal

workshop, self-contained apartment, glorious upper-deck celebration space, three bed art house with outdoor dining. Whether soaking up the morning sun or evening wood fired barbecues in the gallery overlooking the spectacular Golden Pagoda and vast art collection, it’s unique and unforgettable.

Price: $1,400,000

4 2.5 4

Address: Kin Kin

Agent: Trevor Grady

Tom Grady Real Estate

Phone: 0428 373 777

With 2 offices already located in Gympie & Goomeri, Tom Grady Real Estate is excited to announce that they have opened a 3rd office located at 54 Main St Kin Kin. Trevor Grady, has been selling the Gympie District for over 7 years, & he is a “local” to the Kin Kin area.

Born & raised in the District, Trevor & his wife Nina Grady both know the area well.

Should you be looking at buying or selling in the area, do not hesitate to contact Trevor on 0428 373 777.

‘Selling the Gympie District for over 40 years ’