In 2010-11, the regional Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry contributed approximately $196 million and 13.6% of the total Gross Regional Product (GRP) to the Scenic Rim. This was the highest industry contribution in the region to our total GRP of $1.4 billion. (Other significant contributors to the GRP of the Scenic Rim were Public Administration and Safety – 8.8%, Manufacturing – 7.4%, and Construction- 6.8%).
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry is also the largest employer in the Scenic Rim region, employing a total of 1,427 people or 13.7% of the region’s working population. (Other significant employer industries in the Scenic Rim are Retail Trade – 11.6%, Education and Training – 9.8%, Public Administration and Safety – 9.3%, Health Care and Social Assistance – 9.3%, and Accommodation and Food Services – 8.9%).
Livestock slaughtering recorded the highest value of agricultural production at $78.2 million or 48.4% of total agricultural production, followed by crops ($52.9 million or 32.7%) and livestock products ($30.6 million or 18.9%) (2005-06 ABS figures).
Historically a diverse mosaic of production systems has developed in the Scenic Rim region since the early 20th Century and this is now dominated by grazing and poultry, irrigated and non-irrigated cropping, and milk production.
There is potential for other high value rural industries to emerge, particularly in niche smaller-scale farming (including a mix of irrigated and non irrigated agriculture) as well as innovative opportunities built on 4-bottom line sustainable farming, carbon farming and local food production including organics.
The Scenic Rim Community Plan 2011 – 2026 identifies the sustaining of the region’s rural industries as a priority: “Our rural industries face threats from urban encroachment, mining, floods, drought and competition for water supplies as well as changing markets and economic conditions. Rural industry is vital to our economy, lifestyle and landscape and requires our support” (2011).
The Scenic Rim Community Plan Vision states: “By 2026, Scenic Rim will be a network of unique rural communities embedded in a productive and sustainable landscape. We will enjoy a high quality rural lifestyle in self-reliant communities that provide a choice of quality local food, products, services and recreation opportunities….Our community will support sustainable farms, businesses and industries that are compatible with our environment and lifestyle and provide rewarding employment and prosperity for residents. Residents will benefit from the region’s productive farmland, stunning natural environment and character filled towns and villages which attract tourists and visitors and provide ecosystem services for the broader South East Queensland community…” (2011).
It is interesting to note that while agricultural production is the Scenic Rim’s most significant economic foundation, in comparison to neighbouring regions including the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley, the scale of our agriculture is relatively small. At the same time, with rapid changes across the sector including farm sizes, land prices, technology, climate change mitigation and adaptation programs, and consumer engagement, agricultural production in the Scenic Rim region has the potential to integrate with and influence existing rural production areas in South East Queensland and further develop a planned and complimentary agricultural strategy across the broader regional landscape in collaboration with local government areas including the Lockyer Valley, the Darling Downs, Somerset and the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Five unique locations at Mt Barney open their doors and gardens to entice you to discover the diverse variety of delightful regional food and wine experiences on offer.
Imagine being drawn toward the iconic peak of Mt Barney and entering A World Apart that is a scenic 90 minutes drive from Brisbane. Come for a memorable day trip, or stay overnight and spend both days exploring and experiencing this unique event.
Local food is a highly valued part of many of the homes and businesses of the Scenic Rim. Over the past few years, Council in collaboration with community groups, food-related enterprises and passionate foodies, has worked hard to grow our region’s food growing, production and retailing capacity and connect the many diverse players in this sector.
As part of a suite of regional initiatives including the amazing Eat Local Week, in 2012 Council and the Ethos Foundation who work together to produce the Sustainable Scenic Rim website, developed the first stage of a Local Food Directory for the Scenic Rim (link here Em).
The directory was launched just before Christmas and is now live at Sustainable Scenic Rim.
Thank you to the growers, manufacturers, retailers, cafes and festivals who joined the directory to help get it off the ground late last year. One of those is Towri Sheep Cheeses, a unique local business which we’re showcasing in this edition of the eNews.
We invite all local food-related businesses, enterprises, groups and activities to join the directory! There is no cost to showcase your work as a listing; simply go to the listing application and provide a few basic details about what you do and how customers can contact you.
Over time we intend to continue developing the directory into a local food information and resource hub for producers and consumers.
For more information contact Cherie Fletcher at Scenic Rim Regional Council: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The Canungra State School Green Team recognises the importance of preserving and enhancing the natural environment and strives to incorporate sustainable initiatives throughout the school community.
The School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) was developed by the Green Team in 2010 to outline baseline data and set benchmarks for energy consumption and waste output.
The SEMP has provided a clear Environmental Strategy that incorporates the following Green Team projects:
- Canungra Creek Restoration Project
- Wangerriburra Cultural Trail and Bushtucker Garden
- Canungra State School Food Garden and Cooking Club Projects
- Canungra State School Worm Farm
The Canungra State School Green Team place a strong emphasis on cultivating environmental projects throughout the school. Working collaboratively with staff, students and parents, the Green Team continues to develop a solid skills and knowledge base.
Our world is developing and changing at a rapid pace and the kids of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Green Team projects are providing a solid platform for students to create long-lasting learning opportunities in the field of Environmental Sustainability.
Canungra State School is hosting a variety of activity days throughout 2013. Staff, students and community members are welcome to attend. All activities are undertaken on the school grounds at 4 Christie St Canungra.
- TERM ONE - Sat 2nd Mar - Clean Up Australia Day Weed Clean Up – 8 - 10.30am
- TERM TWO - Sat 4th May - Creek revegetation activity – 8 - 10.30am
- TERM THREE - Sat 7th Sep - Weedbusters Working Bee – 8 - 10.30am
- TERM FOUR - Sat 16th Nov - Creek Working Bee – 8 - 10.30am
Please come and join us from 8-10.30am and enjoy making a difference with a great group of people. Ensure you wear closed footwear, a hat, protective clothing and bring plenty of enthusiasm! We will provide a freshly cooked sausage sizzle for all of our fantastic volunteers!
Contact Details:
PH: (BH) 55416111
PH: (AH) Colleen Murphy 0407435781
(AH) Jodie Clifford 0407430070
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Mt Barney Lodge Wins Advanced Ecotourism Certification
Tuesday, 12 March 2013 22:36Ecotourism Australia is the peak body for eco certification in Australia, and aims to inspire environmentally sustainable and culturally responsible tourism. Mt Barney Lodge has retained ecotourism accreditation since the introduction of the very first accreditation program which was known as NEAP in 1996.
This certification underpins the strategic importance Mt Barney Lodge places on the natural environment that it exists in.
Innes Larkin, owner of Mt Barney Lodge said “good tourism businesses have a responsibility to protect and preserve, as well as sustainably promote the unique natural environment they operate in and leverage off.”
Mt Barney Lodge now has the highest level of Eco certification, and is a leader with innovative Advanced Ecotourism products. This level of certification means that travellers have an opportunity to learn about the environment with an operator who is committed to achieving best practice when using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities.
The Climate Action Certification Program is dedicated to ranking the efforts of operators to focus them on reducing their carbon emissions.
It allows travellers to easily judge the efforts being made by tourism operators to reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint of their operation. As tourism is currently a highly competitive marketplace, this new rating will give Mt Barney Lodge a competitive edge.
This certification reinforces the two Finalist places that Mt Barney Lodge was awarded in the 2012 Tourism Queensland Awards.
Without a doubt, Mt Barney Lodge is a leader in Queensland Ecotourism and a sustainable business inspiration in the Scenic Rim.
For more information: www.mtbarneylodge.com.au
A Unique, Homegrown Food Enterprise
In 2004 Carolyn Davidson started making sheep cheese at their family property Towri, at Allenview because she needed something to fill the void after the whole family retired from competing at Polocrosse every weekend.
“With no horses to train every day, and being a 3rd generation wool producer from Western Queensland, I decided milking sheep for cheese sounded like a good idea. Our dairy facilities, yards, and cheese room were all purpose designed and built on farm. I started with a flock of about 150 East Fresian/Dorset ewes which had a flock milking average of 750mls per ewe; each milking to our current Awassi based milking flock with an average of 1.25ltrs per ewe for each milking. The Awassi is from Israel and is very suited to our conditions here in Qld. Through our embryo programs we have been recognised as having the widest milking Awassi genetics outside the Middle East. Our farm is also an accredited Export Embryo Collection Centre,” Carolyn said.
Visitors to Towri are assured of a warm country welcome, with modern facilities and large country style gardens.
Along with their award winning cheese platters and tea and coffee, visitors can participate in milking demonstrations, tour the cheese room and learn about the art of cheese making direct from the Davidsons.
Quiet domesticated sheep and lambs enjoy the company of visitors and will follow them around the garden, if invited because after thousands of years of living with nomadic humans, Awassi sheep bond very closely with their human counterparts.
Towri is still the only registered sheep Cheesery in Queensland.
Carolyn said, “sheep milk has some incredible health benefits - not only does it taste fantastic it has over double the protein and calcium of cow’s milk, it is much higher in minerals and vitamins, it is very high in short chain fatty acids (the good fats) and this makes it easy for lactose intolerant people to digest. The International Asthmatic foundation recommends sheep milk because of its ability to break down phlegm,” she said.
Towri hosts regular home cheese-making schools and consistently encourages people to be more self sufficient.
It is also open for school visits.
Towri always has milking ewes for sale for home use and its cheeses are available for purchase at the farm and on line.
Contact: Carolyn Davidson Cheesemaker/Director; www.towrisheepcheeses.com.au
World Environment Day Festival 2013
Boonah’s fourth sustainability festival will be celebrated on Saturday June 1 with innovative market stalls, displays, demonstrations, creative workshops, recycling bays and lots of live entertainment.
Please contact Julie on 0435 992 798 / 5463 4774 or via email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you’d like to get involved in any way. Stall holders with a strong focus on sustainability are very welcome to join us. You can check out pics from last year’s event here
Recycling News
There have been some really great initiatives happening in the recycling world recently. We now have the ability to easily recycle soft plastics, batteries, televisions and computers in South East Queensland (and beyond).
Soft plastics are now being collected by some Coles and Woolworths stores to be recycled into outdoor furniture. Soft plastics include shopping bags, fresh fruit and vegie bags, bread bags, biscuit, confectionery, frozen food, rice and pasta packaging as well as reusable ‘green’ bags.
Beaudesert, Jimboomba and North Ipswich are among the many participating Coles stores, and you can check out all locations online.
At four Brisbane transfer station locations, there are now recycling drop off points for televisions, computers and computer products including printers and scanners, free of charge for householders and small businesses. The four locations are
- 728 Tilley Road Chandler,
- 1560 Nudgee Road Nudgee,
- 360 Sherbrooke Road Willawong and
- 101 Upper Kedron Road Ferny Grove
See online for more information.
Scenic Rim Regional Council is investigating opportunities for similar types of recycling too.
Computers are also able to be dropped off for recycling at the Windsor and Maroochydore Officeworks stores.
Every Aldi supermarket now provides a collection point for AA, AAA, C, D and 9V battery recycling. Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries can be recycled.
Remember you can keep up to date with recycling information on our BOSS blog through the BOSS Recycling Register. There you'll also find info on things which BOSS collects for recycling, such as
- mobile phones and accessories for the Mobile Muster,
- corks for the Boonah Girl Guides,
- old plastic store cards to be fashioned into guitar picks,
- worn out running shoes for the Nike ReUse a Shoe Campaign, and
- bras and swimmers for the Uplift Project.
Rather than adding to landfill, please think about what you're tossing, and consider whether there is in fact something else you could do with it.
A campaign initiative of Queensland Conservation, Plastic Bag Free Queensland aims to free Queensland from single-use, non-compostable plastic shopping bags by 2015. Healthy Waterways has a Plastic Pollution campaign. Contact Anna Costas at 3177 9100 or check the Healthy Waterways website for more information. Thanks to the support of Healthy Waterways, BOSS will be screening the documentary film Bag It in the very near future. “Bag It” examines the impact of plastics on the environment, marine animals and human health.
2013 BOSS Calendar
So far, here's what's on the 2013 BOSS calendar. Please note your diaries, we'd love to see you at some of our events and activities:
- running a training program focusing on communication skills to assist volunteers
- screening Bag It on a date to be advised
- presenting school holiday enviro art workshops at the Boonah library
- celebrating World Environment Day on Saturday 1 June
- hosting a stand at the Boonah Show on Saturday 18 May
- attending Zestfest at Beechmont on Sunday 23 June
- celebrating National Tree Day with community tree planting on Sunday 28 July
- developing the Bush Tucker Garden
- celebrating National Recycling Week on Saturday 9 November with the Clothes Swap
- initiating a community garden for Boonah, and continuing to contribute to the Scenic Rim Food Strategy
- building on the Boonah Recycling Register and initiating more opportunities for keeping things from landfill
- ongoing tree plantings to offset carbon emissions
- continuing to operate our BOSS plant stall at Mt Alford
Thanks to the following funding bodies and partners who have helped make these opportunities possible -
- Department of Communities, The Outlook
- Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
- Scenic Rim Regional Council Community and Environment Grants Programs
- Healthy Waterways
- SEQ Catchments
If you'd like to get involved in any way, it's never too early to let us know.
The Boonah Cultural Centre presents a Celebration of Celluloid Heroes. Running til June, the six month program’s tickets are only $5 or $100 for 25 tickets. See
http://www.liveatthecentre.com.au/Celluloid-Heroes-overview-pg24235.html for more info.
Basic Upcycling Workshops are now available at In A People House - Retro Reclaimed Homewares at Maroon. Come and Upcycle your own chair, coffee table or fairy light log lamp. Cost starts from $35. All materials provided, or you can bring along a piece of your own. For more info contact Rachel on 0455 283 748 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Days and times are flexible.
Building Community Food Options
Join others in SEQ for an action-based day of workshops that will provide practical steps for starting or improving your bulk buying group, with different community food models (coops, bulk buyers clubs, CSAs: and focusing on finances, legal advice, networking, managing volunteers, where to find wholesalers.
VENUE: Buranda State School, Cowley Street, Buranda 4102
COST: $10 with group discounts available RSVP by March 17
online http://tiny.cc/localfoodregoor to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Connect via facebook.com/seq.cooperative.network
Children are welcome and responsible parenting is appreciated.
Automatic Earth Tour with Nicole Foss
An evening change-agency extravaganza, the Ipswich Showcase features strategic showcases from Nicole Foss, and various other local movers, shakers and change-makers in the sustainability world.
Not just your average speaker tour, Sustainability Showcase features a high level of audience participation with roundtable or breakout sessions between presentations, and finishing with a speaker panel session for converging over strategies for sustainability. Be prepared to participate and network at this event that intends to catalyze momentum for change!
Tickets are $10. See online for more information and to register http://www.automaticearthtour.org/ipswich/ Wednesday 20 March at North Ipswich Reserve Function Centre. Be a part of the change!
The Brisbane event will be held on 23 March and will be $20.
Wildlife Tourism Australia (chaired by Ronda Green, a resident of Running Creek in the Scenic Rim and director of Araucaria Tours) has started a network of tour operators and others within the tourism industry who are involved in wildlife research or conservation monitoring.
The purpose of this network is to nurture wildlife tourism to further assist the scientific community, citizen science, and the endeavour of scientific discovery in Australia as well as helping to keep an eye on conservation problems and projects and add to our knowledge of natural history.
This research may be:
- Ecology and other scientific inquiry to be published in research literature
- Surveys and monitoring for conservation management
- Natural history observations
- Tourism research (e.g. economic value, interpretation methods).
Research in tourism can involve a specialised research tourism venture, or more general wildlife tourism that includes a research component. Collection of data may involve tourism operators and associated scientists alone, or may provide opportunity for tourists and other volunteers to participate at various levels, and in so doing enjoy a great learning experience.
Anyone interested can visit the website http://www.wildliferesearchnetwork.org/ and either add their own project or search for others they may like to be involved in.
We are lucky in the Scenic Rim region to have our own sustainability website called Sustainable Scenic Rim, which was created way back in 2009 in collaboration between Scenic Rim Regional Council and local sustainability learning organisation The Ethos Foundation.
Over the years, some of the information on the website has become a bit dated, so over the past few months, Council and Ethos have embarked on the first stage of a website overhaul to refresh and simplify the website.
During March we hope to re-launch Sustainable Scenic Rim to our community so stay tuned for notification that the site is revitalised.
For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Building on the success of its first international Economics of Happiness Conference, held in March 2012 in Berkeley, California, the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), is hosting a second conference in Byron Bay between March 15 and 17 2013.
Through an interactive program of plenary sessions, workshops, and social and creative time, participants will have a rare opportunity to learn from and share with some of the foremost leaders in the worldwide localisation movement. The conference also offers the chance to make new connections, build on current projects and find new inspiration. The 2012 conference was a life-changing event for many involved, and the Economics of Happiness Conference 2013 promises to be even better.
Join amazing thinkers, visionaries, and activists from around the world. Take part in the growing localisation movement! View the programSTOP PRESS: SPECIAL 2-DAY PASSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR $50 WITH ACCESS TO ALL CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS AND WORLD CAFÉ PLUS VIDEO FEED OF ALL PLENARY SESSIONS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
This event brings together a unique international group of speakers, each one acclaimed for their vision, activism, wisdom, and leadership. These include:
Winona LaDuke (USA), renowned American Indian activist and former Green Party US vice-presidential candidate.
Vandana Shiva (India), activist, physicist, feminist and the author of Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability and Peace and Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development (via video link).
Dave Rastovich (Australia), founder of Surfers for Cetaceans, and alternative role model for millions of young people.
Bill McKibben (USA), founder of 350.org and author of numerous books, including The End of Nature and Deep Economy (via video link)
Anwar Fazal (Malaysia), Right Livelihood Award winner and founder of several environmental and public health NGOs, including Baby Food Action Network, and Pesticide Action Network.
Richard Neville (Australia), futurist and author of several books, including Footprints of the Future and Amerika Psycho.
Hwang Daekwon (South Korea), author who inspired millions in Korea when he emerged from years of unjust imprisonment with a vision of peace based on a deep connection to nature.
Michael Shuman (USA), the author of Local Dollars, Local Sense and one of America’s leading localists.
Christian Felber (Austria), author of numerous best-selling books, and a leading theoretician of the Common Welfare Economy.
Charles Eisenstein (USA), de-growth activist and the author of The Ascent of Humanity and Sacred Economics.
Donnie Maclurcan (Australia), co-founder of the Post Growth Institute, and author of Nanotechnology and Global Equality.
Devinder Sharma (India), journalist, analyst of agricultural trade policies, and author of In the Famine Trap and Keeping the Other Half Hungry.
Wasif Rizvi (Pakistan), a leading voice in Pakistan on religion and indigenous philosophies, and their influence in shaping social, political and economic processes.
Mark Anielski (Canada), an economist specializing in measures of well-being and happiness, and the author of the award-winning book, The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth.
Manish Jain (India), the coordinator of Shikshantar: The Peoples’ Institute for Rethinking Education and Development, and one of the foremost critics of conventional schooling.
Pracha Hutanuwatr (Thailand), Deputy Director of the Right Livelihood Foundation, and a leading practitioner of Engaged Buddhism.
Keibo Oiwa (Japan), author, anthropologist, environmentalist, and founder of the Sloth Club, Japan’s leading “slow life’ environmental group.
Ijeoma and Adebayo Clement Akomolafe (Nigeria), co-founders of Koru, a trans-local network of cultural creatives in Nigeria who believe another world is possible.
Carol Black (USA), activist in the unschooling and alternative education movements, and writer, director, and producer of the acclaimed film Schooling the World: The White Man’s Last Burden.
Kerrianne Cox (Australia), award-winning first Australian singer and songwriter, and Chairperson of Beagle Bay Community.
Benjamin Villegas (Colombia), chef, restaurant owner, promoting local food and farming.
James Skinner (UK), board member New Economics Foundation; owner of R&D companies promoting clean and renewable energy.
Helena Norberg-Hodge (Australia), founder and Director of ISEC, author of Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, and producer and co-director of The Economics of Happiness.
Feedback from 2012 conference participants:“I feel rejuvenated and connected and ready to continue working towards the ‘more beautiful world’ my heart tells me is possible.“
“It was as close to perfect as I could ask for.”
“This was an amazing experience—one that has shown me how to take the next step in life.“
For more information , please visit any of the following web links:
www.isec.org.uk
www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/conference-program
www.theeconomicsofhappiness.wordpress.com
Check out the Official "Economics of Happiness" Trailer on Youtube!
Become a facebook fan of The Economics of Happiness
Follow "The Economics of Happiness" on Twitter
The first Darlington Community Markets for 2013 are being held on Sunday 17 March 2013 between 8am to 1pm.
Organiser Kay Tommerup said, “We aim to celebrate all things homemade, handmade, organic, home grown, vintage, recycled and upcycled made with excellent quality.
“Our Vintage Café run by Darlington State School P&C serves delicious homemade food from the heart, freshly brewed coffee and real fruit juices.
“Our students are involved in running the kids entertainment with our Artist in Residence to provide a family friendly, ‘gadget free’ day out.
“The students also hope to have vegetables ready for sale from their sustainable vegetable gardening program which incorporates chickens, permaculture principles and an aquaponics garden,” Kay said.
The markets will have a wide variety of stalls on offer and many new stalls will also be at this market.
There will only be two Darlington markets this year - the next one will be held on Sunday 21 July.
For more information contact Kay Tommerup: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This legendary regional festival is on Sunday May 12 and will have a “Textiles and Textures” emphasis in 2013.
Winner of the 2012 Caldera Art Award – Therese Flynn Clark – will guide students to discover the textures within basketry – a medium ideally suited to this environment as materials can be gathered in close proximity; and the creative talents of Sandra Pearce will inspire students working in making original prints with her Magical Monotypes workshops.
Textile artist Bec Anderson will focus the groups on three styles of creative rug making, and the blacksmiths will again beat beautiful shapes from hot iron with Gilbert Loutit.
Local potters promise expert guidance in fashioning clay and cloth into objects of beauty. They will work with adults and children and the children need pay only for materials.
Following the Arts In The Olives tradition, 2013 will again see free tuition for all Children’s workshops with some requiring a charge for materials. The textile theme will see budding young designers learning to recycle and reinvent fashion with Nancy.
An excellent music program is in the pipeline for 2013 and stalls will offer beautiful hand made goods and local or organic produce. Food offerings promise to be delicious.
Sunday workshops begin at 9:00 am. Registration for Workshops opens at 8:00am. Pre booking is recommended as some workshops fill early.
- Morning Classes: 9:00am-11:30am
- Afternoon Classes: 1:00pm-3:30pm
- Fullday Classes: 9:00am-3:30pm
Music, stalls, food and wine tasting and other festival activities will occur throughout the day.
- Festival entry is $6.00 (Children under six admitted free of charge)
- Halfday Workshops – $25.00
- Fullday Workshops – $50.00
Additional material charges may apply to some workshops.
You can stay informed and book here: http://artsintheolives.com/
Beechmont’s celebration of local food, arts and crafts, music, sustainability and health and wellbeing – Zest Fest 2013 – is happening on Sunday June 23 at the Hall on Graceleigh, Beechmont Road.
Now in its fourth year, Zest 2013 firmly establishes relationships between Beechmont, Canungra and Boonah with stallholders travelling across the region to showcase their unique and homegrown goods and services.
Zest also kicks off Eat Local Week 2013 in the Scenic Rim.
Zest Fest will host a free children’s program, local music program, morning workshops and demonstrations about gardening and artisinal foods and create the vibrant one-day-a-year village market square for Beechmont.
Come one and all to Zest 2013! For more information visit: http://www.beechmont.org.au/events/zest-fest/zest-fest-directory
Iconic cultural event in both the Scenic Rim region and the Gold Coast, the Drumley Walk, is being held between May 3 and 5 2013. One Friday 3 May walkers will travel between Beaudesert to Mundoolun; on Saturday 4 May they will undertake the Mt Tamborine traverse; and on Sunday 5 May they will walk from Nerang to Southport. This year’s theme is “Welcome to Country”.
Rory O’Connor is the coordinator for the Drumley Walk and explained why the walk is such an important event to he and organisational host the Yugambeh Museum.
He said, “As a young boy, I remember hearing my mother telling of Uncle Drumley’s visits to her home in Southport. He would walk from her birthplace, Beaudesert. Sometimes he would camp in the mountains.
“I remember thinking what an adventure it would be, to walk through country, sit up by a fire, and then continue on to see family and friends. And there were stories of Mogois (scarey spirits) and little people, who lived on the edge of the campfire light.
“It was 30 years later before I completed the journey myself. And it was not done as a reconciliation event, a political statement, or an endurance test. It was certainly not done with the thought that it would be repeated.
“Those jarjums are now my Elders. And now, they are going.
“I just wanted to show that our generation understood respect,” Rory said.
The Drumley Walk is a project of the Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre. The Museum aims to record and promote the traditional knowledge of our region, especially the Yugambeh language, which was spoken throughout south east Queensland.
The Museum also assists Aboriginal youth with employment and training opportunities, and helps community members trace their own family stories. The Museum has a commercial arm that offers cultural competency training and consulting services.
The Museum is managed by the Kombumerri Aboriginal Corporation for Culture, established by Elders in 1984.
For more information go to: http://thedrumleywalk.com/
A Biodynamics for Grazing, Gardening & Horticulture Workshop is being held at Canungra on Friday March 15 between 9am and 5pm. The event is presented by “Growing Soils for the Future – Food for Today”.
BOOKINGS: Hamish Mackay 02 6657 5270 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
WORKSHOP HOST: Sally Gordon 0401 709 619
VENUE: 67 Tucker Lane, Canungra Qld 4275
COST: $125 pp or $200 per couple
Bring lunch and a chair. Morning and afternoon teas provided.
SEQ Catchments is hosting a free horse management workshop on Sunday March 17 at the Logan and Albert Hotel, Beaudesert between 9am and 2pm.
This workshop is perfect for those wanting to explore horse behavior, horse nutrition and pasture management, for healthier horses and a more sustainable property.
Who should attend?
Anyone who looks after horses both on their own land and agistment.
Morning tea & lunch provided.
Presenter: Mariette van den Berg
Mariette is an animal scientist & nutritionist with over 6 years research experience in equine nutrition and the founder of MB Equine Services.
Where & When?
Sunday 17th March
Workshop: 9:00am - 2:00pm
Logan Albert Hotel
64 Brisbane Street, Beaudesert
Please RSVP to Jessica Walker
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 0407 001 916
The Glossy Black-Cockatoo is listed as a threatened species in Queensland and the eastern subspecies Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami is distributed throughout south-eastern Queensland (SEQ). The status of the SEQ population is difficult to determine as the species is cryptic in its behaviour and use of natural habitats such that despite a number of agencies maintaining databases for many years there is still little knowledge of the estimated population size and distribution of the species in the region.
To address this shortcoming, the Glossy Black Conservancy initiated the Glossy Black-Cockatoo Birding Days in 2009. The first event was run as a pilot survey on the Gold Coast, SEQ. Following on from the success of this first event surveys have been held throughout the region (SEQ and north-eastern NSW) since. The annual surveys have adopted a staggered survey schedule with dates alternating between October and May in successive years. This decision was based on feedback from members of the community reporting higher reporting rates at different times of the years across the region. Future surveys are expected to continue with this approach but there is the potential in include surrounding shires to expand the range of the surveys.
The objective of the census is to gain a better understanding of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo distribution, habitat use and population demographics over time. The surveys are intended to provide the foundations for a long-term monitoring program that in time will be able to assess trends in the population (such as changes in distribution, recruitments etc.) These ongoing efforts will also provide valuable information for determining areas that are heavily frequented by the birds, but also those that might be important refuge areas.
Want to help?
The Birding Day efforts rely heavily on the assistance of local communities and members of the public who have an interest in Glossy Black-Cockatoos. Therefore, this is effectively a 'citizen science' initiative where observations and records from the general public make an important contribution to furthering our understanding of the ecology of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo.
If you are interested in participating in the Birding Days please contact one of the regional coordinators to ensure that we have your contact details and can notify you of future events but also of the results from previous surveys.
The Birding Days are one of the ways that the public can assist in Glossy Black-Cockatoo conservation efforts. The other is to submit your sightings of the species, or signs of their feeding activity, using our on-line sightings tool at any time of the year. We encourage you to make extensive use of this system.
To participate in the Scenic Rim region, contact regional coordinator Keith McCosh: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.glossyblack.org.au/gbcday_registration.html
A delightfully entertaining and inspiring TV show will soon hit our airwaves. Called “Green Homes and Bacon”, the show visits sustainable homes and ecovillages around South East Queensland to learn more about their inhabitants and their features. The show has been produced by Warren Kibblewhite of Rib Tickler Productions and the first season is set to run shortly. The preview can be accessed via any one of these links:
Youtube Video http://youtu.be/wBcpMKnhdnA
Website video http://www.ribticklerproductions.com.au/current-projects/
Facebook site http://www.facebook.com/greenhomesandbacon
First Earthkeepers camp for Beaudesert State School at Wild Mountains
Sunday, 02 December 2012 20:39In September 2012, Wild Mountains Earth Education Centre undertook its largest Earthkeepers program so far. Forty Year 5-7 eco-club students from Beaudesert State School experienced an action-packed three days full of mystery, adventure, fun and learning.
The students learned scientific concepts about Planet Earth’s life support systems and reconnected with nature through exploration and discovery. Sharing their magic spot experiences led to this gem from student Rohan:
“... I am here in my magic spot and as I sit quietly listening to the sounds of nature and thinking about the future and what I’m really going to do and what‘s going to happen, I think about the environment and why we really need to keep it healthy.”
In amongst all the activities, the apprentice Earthkeepers saw a python slowly descending a tree in the jungle, a goanna on its way off to somewhere, and a lazy koala high up in the trees.
Day 3 of the program saw the Beaudesert Earthkeeper apprentices leave on the bus eager to complete their environmental tasks, earn their last two keys and become fully fledged Earthkeepers, Level 1.
Founder of Wild Mountains, Richard Zoomers said he hoped this camp becomes the start of a relationship that will assist Beaudesert State School to move towards implementing more hands-on environmental projects within the school.
For more information about Wild Mountains Earth Education Centre at Rathdowney, go to: wildmountains.org
On the same night in November that The Centre, Beaudesert hosted the Scenic Rim Business Excellence Awards, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre hosted the tourism industry’s night of nights at the Queensland Tourism Awards 2012.
In recognition of what has been a year of recovery and rebuilding for the industry, the star-studded annual event acknowledged the achievements of tourism operators throughout Queensland following a challenging year in 2011.
The Scenic Rim was represented by Mt Barney Lodge, which was a finalist in the Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism for the fourth time, and a first-time finalist in the newly contested category of Tourist and Caravan Parks – demonstrating that an Ecotourism Retreat with natural infrastructure was a credible opponent to the Big 4 Caravan Parks which traditionally win this category.
Mt Barney Lodge is a family-owned and operated ecotourism destination that offers camping, glamping, cabins, and Queenslander Homesteads. A range of eco-themed adventure activities for children and adults are also available.
Mt Barney Lodge became an RV Friendly Destination TM in 2012 with the Caravan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA), and has rapidly grown this new target market with strategic marketing, networking and exposure on The Great SouthEast in preparation for the 2012 CMCA Rally in Boonah. The CMCA’s motto of “Leave Only Tracks Behind” was recognised to be the perfect fit with Mt Barney Lodge’s ethos.
Mt Barney Lodge is accredited with Ecotourism Australia, and is a “Green Travel Leader”, which recognises continual accreditation for more than 10 years. Mt Barney Lodge is known for “Sharing Our Wilderness Heritage”, whilst minimising environmental impacts.
Tracey Larkin, owner of Mt Barney Lodge said “although we didn’t win the elusive winner’s trophy, we are still pleased with the achievement in being consistently placed as one of the top ecotourism and camping destinations in Queensland. Our achievement on the night was also to fly the flag for the Scenic Rim, as Mt Barney Lodge was the only Scenic Rim business recognised at the 2012 Queensland Tourism Awards.”
The State Tourism Awards is an initiative of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) who organises and hosts the awards, now in its 28th year of operation.
Mt Barney Lodge Website: www.mtbarneylodge.com.au