February 13, 2009 - An agency of The Rock Building Society Limited was opened in Nanango on February 3.

In the absence of the Mayor, I was asked to perform the opening ceremony at the Nanango Newsagency. Congratulations were offered on behalf of The South Burnett Regional Council.

The Rock has begun an expansion program in a number of coastal and regional communities. There are 12 other agencies throughout South-East Queensland and 10 banking branches. The Rock has built its banking expansion program on its well-known brand in Central Queensland. As its name implies, its head office is in Rockhampton.

I indicated in my opening speech that to make an impact on Nanango and the South Burnett community, they would need to understand the various customer groups that exist and the range of banking needs required. This will be achieved by not just providing a place for savings deposits, but home loans, business loans, term deposits and tailored insurance policies.

I congratulated the Nanango Newsagency on being selected to be the "front door" for the Rock. Their appointment as an agency demonstrates the fact they are regarded by The Rock as a business deserving of the partnership relationship.

February 13, 2009 - The South Burnett has rallied to help the victims of the tragic Victorian bushfires and North Queensland floods.

The South Burnett Regional Council approved a donation of $1000 while individual councillors also made personal donations and staff authorised payroll deductions.

Around the community some very impressive efforts occurred including $1200 from Taabinga State School, $1337 from Nanango State School and $700 from St John's Lutheran School.

Appeal boxes have been placed in many local businesses including the South Burnett Times and the Commercial Hotel in Nanango.

CROW-FM organised community breakfast fundraisers in Murgon and Kingaroy, (above and left), which together raised an amazing $19,700.

It is impossible to list here all the local fundraising efforts and individual donations but I'm sure the people of Victoria and NQ appreciate this very practical assistance.

February 10, 2009 - Cr Damien Tessmann and I have been selected as the Council representatives alongside South Burnett Regional Council CEO Tony Hayward and Manager for Natural Resources Leanne Petersen to be on a committee that will partner with the Department of Corrective Services.

The idea is that offenders who have amassed fines that would normally attract a jail sentence will be able to "pay off" their fines by doing community service. For this to be successful, the Department of Corrective Services needs organisations in the South Burnett who are supportive of the Department’s efforts to partner with them to provide duties where offenders can be put to work.

The type of work the SBRC may be able to offer would include clean-ups after major community events, parks and gardens work, sorting through recyclables, management of declared pests etc.

All offenders will be low-risk candidates.

There is a benefit to the SBRC by being involved in this project as offenders will make a contribution at no cost to Council or the work force. Their attitude to performance and work efforts will be monitored by their case supervisors.

February 9, 2009 - Mayor David Carter and I, (pictured right), attended the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry's first Meet'n'Greet for 2009 which was held at Ergon Energy's recently refurbished offices in Edward Street on February.

Guest speakers were John Box, from Ergon Energy, Michael Monk, who recently purchased Kingaroy and Nanango community radio station KFM (96.3FM Kingaroy and 87.6FM Nanango) and Dafyd Martindale who provided information about the upcoming Wine and Food in the Park Festival which will be held at Memorial Park, Kingaroy, on Saturday March 14.

February 8, 2009 - At the Kingaroy Garden Club's AGM, (see story below), were keen gardeners Bob and Jean Little.

Bob and Jean have just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary! Their family threw a party to help them celebrate such a grand occasion.

Congratulations Bob and Jean!

[Courtesy South Burnett Times]

February 8, 2009 - I was again privileged to be invited back to the Kingaroy Garden Club to chair their Annual Meeting on Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2009.

This Club consists of a dedicated group of gardeners who come along at 2pm on the second Sunday of each month to deal with the business of the Club.

Of course, it’s not all meeting procedure. They share gardening information and enjoy fellowship and social outings. The average attendance for meetings is 25 people.

I’ve learned quite a bit about various plants in our own garden from these "professionals".

★ ★ ★

Marion has been keen to photograph an Agave plant in our garden which has come into flower. Apparently, they only flower once every 15 years.

After flowering, the parent plant dies and is replaced with "pups".

Our plant is still in the flowering stage. Once the flowers come into seed, they will produce hundreds of tiny replicas of the parent plant.

They look like brussels sprouts!

I obtained our plant from a neighbour’s garden about 15 years ago. They grow very slowly and need scarcely any attention. They seem to be a member of the cactus plant.

If anyone would like a plant once the new seedlings have formed and developed, I’d be happy to give them away.

February 8, 2009 - On Sunday February 8 my wife Marion and I gathered with a large congregation of worshippers to celebrate 100 years of Lutheranism at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Kumbia.

Many former members of both the Trinity Congregation and St Paul’s Taabinga came back to Kumbia for the day. Many of the surviving Ministers who served the congregations also returned.

The visiting preacher for the Service was Pastor Tim Jaensch who is the Queensland President of the Lutheran Church of Australia (Queensland).

At this service, Marion and I met up with Pastor Ivan Roennfeldt who married us on 23rd February 1974. So, we are about to celebrate 35 years of marriage!

February 7, 2009 - Exactly five years after the first reunion of the former Benair State School we came together on Saturday February 7, 2009, to permanently mark the place where the School stood during its life of 66 years (1911–1977).

I chaired an informal committee, (pictured at right, Ray Philips, Graham Reed, Gwen Fleischfresser, Keith Campbell, Graham "Snow" Barbeler, Cheryl Patteson, Darryl Fleischfresser, Rhonda Kefford), which comprising a number of former students, all of whom still live in the district or neighbouring districts.

We were overwhelmed with the attendance ... more than 130 ... as well as the response of money donated for the costs to put down the large rock on which was placed the commemorative plaque. A very pleasing result!

The former students did it without any handouts or help from any level of government. When the spirit of goodwill exists and the opportunity to rekindle the fondness of old school friendships presents itself, it is amazing to see the response.

Many people talk to me about marking the sites of significance in our Regional Council. In fact, in the former Kingaroy Shire alone, there were 35 primary schools. How much history has been amassed in these pioneering districts and how much of it will be lost unless we do something to capture the memories in written form.

As time passes, people are hungry for the history of our country and our little region of Benair made its mark through our pioneering families who worked hard to open up and develop the land.

The school was the centre of the community and almost all social events revolved around the activities of the school.

Well done to the committee!

I would be very happy to invite people who have stories about the Benair district to contact me. It is possible our committee may consider another reunion in year 2011 to celebrate and remember 100 years. The idea will be to launch a booklet containing the history of the area.

RIGHT: Col Noller and Keith Campbell at the Benair State School reunion

January 6, 2009 - As the town of Kingaroy grows and building development seems to mushroom, a concept to introduce "high-rise" apartment dwellings in Markwell Street has emerged. The question is whether this style of high-density living in the proximity of the CBD and associated services is what Kingaroy is ready for.

As a Councillor, I need to take a strategic look at what Kingaroy should develop into not just for year 2009, but looking forward to the next 10, 20 or 30 years.

Whatever the decision taken by Council when the Development Application is processed, it really sets the footprint for the years ahead.

To miss out on this development proposal now could mean that as a Council we prefer the town of Kingaroy to sprawl out, creating demands on roads and other services.

Our region is known as one that has a large population of ageing residents. This being the case, there is a demand for housing in close proximity to shops, doctors and other services. This type of higher density living could also appeal to other people including single parents or singles simply wanting to live close to entertainment and work.

Of course there will be objections from those home owners who are living in close proximity to this proposed development. Their concerns should not be dismissed. However, at the end of the day, we need to take a look at how we want Kingaroy to develop.

I’d be interested to hear your views on this development proposal.

January 2, 2009 - For three weeks beginning 29th December 2008, I will be sitting in the Mayor’s Chair as Acting Mayor while Mayor David Carter and his wife enjoy a well-earned break.

For me and each of the other councillors, it will be business as usual.

We look forward to continuing to look after the interests of the South Burnett Region during 2009. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have matters that you would like to talk through.

Mayor Carter will be back in his chair on Monday 19th January.