HomeNewsBundaberg Now Podcast features Bre Ferguson

Bundaberg Now Podcast features Bre Ferguson

In today's Bundaberg Now podcast we once again welcome local music host Ellie D who introduces us to Bre Ferguson.

We also hear about RFDS local heroes from the Rotary Club of Bundaberg, learn about the new Libraries app, and hear a recap of Art as an Act of Optimism.

Local news highlights include Oreco Group's production of recycled timber for garden mulch, Greensill Farming Group's Green Solutions facility, the Christmas on Bauble Street dining experience, and more. 

You can also listen on Google, Apple, Spotify and TuneIn.

Podcast transcript to follow

Dana Maggacis 0:07
Hello and welcome to the weekly Bundaberg now podcast. I'm Dana maracas from Bundaberg Regional Council. And today we have another interesting programme of news and information from across the Bundaberg region. Soon, we'll hear about the Bundaberg libraries new app, Meet Royal Flying Doctor Service local hero. Hear recap of odd as an act of optimism and enjoy another local music segment from LED. But first here's Michael Gorey with the news headlines.

Michael Gorey 0:41
Thank you Dana. Making news this week. Oreco group is wrapping up production of recycled timber at Childers for uses garden mulch, undergoing a $20 million expansion. The factory is the largest of its kind in Australia. Oreco employs more than 60 people and goods are transported around the country. Greensill Farming Group plans to recycle farm and garden waste into compost. The company is developing a green solutions facility on Windermere road to convert residential garden waste free of charge. Here is the company spokesman Nathan Freeman,

Nathan Freeman 1:16
They might be standing on the new development site for our green solutions, green facility that will take Bundaberg region's green waste and turn it into compost. So we started development only a couple of months ago and development is progressing really well. If the weather stays right we should be able to start hopefully operations early in 2021. What we will do is open the facility up for general Bunderberg local residents to be able to bring their green waste to the site. So all the shrubs, clippings anything like that back yard waste as long as it's green waste we will accepted.

Michael Gorey 1:47
Plumbing apprentices can now complete more of their studies in Bundaberg after a local business donated roofing materials and frames to TAFE Queensland. The donation by McHugh Steel means that students no longer need to travel to Nambour, here's Ian Walsh from TAFE.

Ian Walsh 2:04
These frames have recently been donated by McHugh Steel, and they will be used by our plumbing apprentices and also our carpentry apprentices. It's a great value. It assists us in delivering a lot of the training here at Bundaberg, which helps all the students with when they're young first year apprentices they do not have to travel they would have to generally travel to Nambour and makes it a lot easier for them to come and attend training.

Michael Gorey 2:29
A unique dining experience will be part of the 12 Days of Christmas event in Bundaberg. Tickets go on sale noon Thursday for Christmas on Bauble Street. Bus Park will be a glow from December 2 to 13th with the twinkle of fairy lights where large bauble domes will host diners. To find out more, visit the What's on Bunderburg website. In sport the inaugural Blokart marathon at Woodgate beach on Saturday was a big success and may become annual. Blokart are go karts with sailes that zoom along the beach. 32 machines ran laps around a four kilometre course reaching up to 75 kilometres an hour. Finally, Elliot Heads State School has partnered with Surf Lifesaving Queensland to introduce an after school surf lifesaving programme. Let's hear from organiser, Georgia Martin and some of the kids then back to you, Dana.

Georgia Martin 3:27
So the programmes that we're presently running as an initiative set out by Surf Lifesaving Queensland and as part of our community awareness programme. So it's teaching kids about beach safety and skills that they can take away to help them have a safe summer and safe time while they visit Queensland beaches. So in this particular programme, we have roughly 45 to 50 children participating in this programme. Yeah, today we're doing beach flags, which is a fun game that we use to help train our lifesavers in running across the end. And we'll also be doing tube rescues which just introduce them to the basic principles of a rescue and how to be safe around the water.

Tyler Schubel 4:09
Today we are going to learn how to use a tube and use the surf and use that surf rescue tool. We just normally learn how to swim better through the waves and in the ocean stuff. I love getting out in the water and having a swim around and having fun.

Georgia Martin 4:26
So the age range of their kids here today they range from year one through to year six. This programme generally targets primary school aged kids, which is really important because if we can do the education off the beach now it helps reduce the rates of rescues that we're having to perform in the future.

Dana Maggacis 4:43
Thanks, Michael. Over to Peta from the libraries to walk us through their exciting new app.

Peta Browne 4:48
The new Bundaberg regional libraries app was launched recently, it's been introduced to meet the demand for mobile friendly access to information and services. It ensures the library is keeping pace with new technologies being innovative in its service delivery, and is discoverable on multiple platforms. It also helps us meet our objective of promoting and supporting digital literacy in our community. Developed in collaboration with library technology companies Solis, that app has been specifically designed for libraries. I'll speak with the library member about their experiences with the app shortly. But first, some of the apps features include mobile friendly at your fingertips access to the library catalogue, allowing me to search reserve and renew items. The ability to link children's or family members cards in order to manage multiple accounts from the one place one tap access to your library barcode allowing it to be scanned at checkout when borrowing items, the ability to place icons on the home screen in the order of your choosing. In addition to these convenient features the app also provides one stop shop access to the library's eServices and online databases, so you don't miss out on eBooks and other digital content. And there are convenient links to the Bundaberg Now and What's on websites where you can find library, Council and community news and events. With me. I have library member Sarah, who's going to let us know how she's found using the app. Welcome, Sarah.

Sarah Doeche 6:13
Thanks for having me, Peta.

Peta Browne 6:16
What made you decide to download the Bundaberg regional libraries app?

Sarah Doeche 6:20
Well, I really liked the idea of having all of the services in one place, basically and being able to update reservations or place reservations and just have it all there right in front of me and not have to use my computer.

Peta Browne 6:33
Excellent, Do you find it easy to use?

Sarah Doeche 6:36
I do. So when I when I downloaded it, I thought oh, man, now I have to try and sign in what is even my password. But then I found out I could just scan my card, didn't even have to type my membership number in quick reset of the password and I was in and running.

Peta Browne 6:51
Excellent, What's been the most convenient feature of the app for you so far?

Sarah Doeche 6:57
I think just being able to look at the whole account, have everything then see if I have a reservation that comes in and being able to access Kanopy in the eServices all right there.

Peta Browne 7:09
Yes, so quite convenient, very convenient.

Sarah Doeche 7:11
Yes.

Peta Browne 7:11
Um, have you changed the order of the icons yet?

Sarah Doeche 7:15
I didn't know that you could. So that is definitely something that I'm going to play with now.

Peta Browne 7:19
Yes, it's quite fun on the front homescreen you can change which order the icons appear in to suit what you like to use the most.

Sarah Doeche 7:26
Oh if I get to play with stuff, then Imean, yeah.

Peta Browne 7:29
Thank you for talking with us today Sarah.

Sarah Doeche 7:32
It's all right. Thanks, Peta.

Peta Browne 7:33
That's alright. We're very excited to offer this well designed convenient way to interact with your libraries. The dynamic nature of the app means that it will evolve over time to suit the needs of our community. The app is available in Apple and Android app stores and can be found by typing in Bundaberg regional libraries.

Dana Maggacis 7:52
Thanks Peta and Sarah. This week, the Bundaberg Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated local hero Matt Griffiths. Matt is from the Rotary Club of Bundaberg, who have been an integral part of the local community for many years, supporting many organisations including the RFDS through their fundraising and volunteer efforts. This year, they supported the opening of the new RFDS Bundaberg base with generous donation as well as performing extensive work to establish gardens at the new bass. We will hear now from Matt Griffiths along with Chris Palmer from the Rotary Club of Bundaberg and Joanne Faulkner from RFDS Bundaberg.

Matt Griffiths 8:30
I don't like people telling me I can't do something. Because of the way I was born. My father through his service in Vietnam, I was born with a few health issues related to Agent Orange, the femur on my right side decided that it didn't want to grow. When I was probably seven or eight years old, I can remember getting a visit from the Education Department with a list of all the things I would never be able to do in life, because I was a crippled. And and that's how much the world has changed now. So now, a few said I can't do that. Because of this. I'd say well, why not? Let's make it happen. Volunteering or supporting a group, like I do with rotary and with the Flying Doctors it's a great positive which is so uplifting.

Chris Palmer 9:19
In helping Royal Flying Doctor Service. We're sort of extending what we do to help continue to do what they do. It's an essential service that we have. In the big city you are nice and close to a hospital and urgent services, in the country or not.

Matt Griffiths 9:35
My son was sick when he was really young. And if it wasn't for the Flying Doctors, he probably wouldn't be with me now. They got him down near to Brisbane within hours. I just sat on the chair and held his hand would have been too much of a challenge separating me from my son at the time. You'll get a little bit protective. Sometimes it's not just a matter of treating the child it's a matter of keeping the parents calm as well, and they are very, very skilled at what they do. He's a credit to the flying dots. So that means a lot to me. And I can't think of any organisation that means means more to me than the RFDS.

Joanne Faulkner 10:15
The Rotary provides a bridge between RFDS in the community with the new base being built here. The assistance of Bundaberg rotary has been vital. They've helped not only with funds for the service, but also in the establishment of a beautiful gardens out front of the base

Matt Griffiths 10:33
Flying doctors to me, it would leave a massive hole in regional Queensland if they weren't around. I'm just always gonna be there for them. Just like I know, they'll always be there for me and for everybody else.

Dana Maggacis 10:56
What a great local hero story. Now, over to Robert from the galleries for an Art as an Act of Optimism recap.

Arts Bundaberg Advertisement 11:04
The Moncrief entertainment centre Bundaberg regional galleries and Bundaberg regional libraries and together they are arts Bundaberg. We love the arts just as much as you do. And whether you're a book lover, an art lover, or a theatre lover, the arts and cultural services of the Bundaberg Regional Council are connecting locals all in one place. To keep up to date with the things you love. jump online to artsbundaberg.com.au

Robert McLellan 11:35
Thanks, Dana. As you will remember, as part of the Bundaberg now podcast, we have enjoyed the sounds of 11 different artists as part of Council's Art as an Act of Optimism the podcast series. Art as an Act of Optimism was an initiative of the regional arts Development Fund, a partnership between Queensland Government and the Bundaberg Regional Council to support artists living in regional Queensland. This initiative was established as a direct response to the Covid 19 pandemic and a broader away to support our local artists working in the arts industry, which we all know was one of the most heavily impacted as a result of the lockdown period. The formation of Art as an Act of Optimism was a community lead and consultative process. Our first step was to survey the impacts of Covid 19 upon the artwork within Bundaberg and utilise our community's response to then guide the rollout of future online programmes. We were then able to offer free webinars to artists within our region as part of the ideas and conversations series, community artists connected with artists locally and on a national scale. Our topics included the art of positivity with John Paul Fischbach and Liz O'Brien. Industry crisis to recovery with Pat O'Neill and David Berthold, getting business savvy with Trudy Lego and Shelley Pisani. And Art as an Act of Optimism, where a panel of local arts advocates came together at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre to live stream a valuable arts conversation about where to from here, while collating the information shared throughout the previous webinars. We then offered an amended application process which saw many local artists take advantage of the regional arts development funding, a range of artists applied to deliver at home artist in residencies. Over coming weeks the results of these residencies will be posted on artsbundaberg.com.au. And that's where you'll find the great selection of local museums as well. If you have missed any, you can jump online and check out our three volts. Check it out today. artsbundaberg.com.au the place for all your arts information in the Bundaberg region.

Dana Maggacis 14:15
Thanks Robert. To finish up today. He's Ellie D again for another local music spot.

Ellie D 14:20
Hey, I'm Ellie D and I hope you've been listening to these segments each week on the Bundaberg now podcast. I'm a publicist and a podcaster where I showcase Australian singer songwriters. Today I'd like to introduce you to someone local known as Bre Ferguson, you will find her playing her guitar stomp and piano at different gigs around Bundaberg. She loves playing to a crowd and performing everything from crowd favourites through to laid back alternative songs with a twist on her own creative style. Bre has been performing since she was eight years old while singing was her main focus. She then started to learn the piano and the guitar which has worked really well with her performances at live gigs. She also started writing her own material through her teenage years and with that she's grown into the artist that she is now. Bre writes material from her own experiences and her own life lessons which makes her songwriting a truly personal journey. We're now going to have a listen to a song by Bree Ferguson. This is her Track Set me free. It's a transformational song of blooming into a free spirit.

Dana Maggacis 18:30
That's all for today. We hope you enjoyed the programme. Join us next week for more news and stories from across the Bundaberg region. Bye for now.

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