Weekender: Golf legend's last hurrah

IMPACT trainees help Council build boardwalk

Georgia Neville

IMPACT Community Services’ Green Gang trainees and Council’s natural areas team are extending the boardwalk at Sharon Gorge to improve access.

IMPACT employees working on the boardwalk are currently studying their Certificate I in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, with the program employing up to 10 trainees.

Council’s Parks and Gardens spokesperson Cr Wayne Honor said the project had been a great opportunity to improve the facilities at Sharon Gorge while making the walk more accessible to the public.

“During the recent rain events there has been damage to the Sharon Gorge walking track, and these works provide us the opportunity to improve the track and raise the height of the boardwalk, so it lasts longer,” Cr Honor said.

“Trainees from IMPACT Community Services have lent a helping hand to build the boardwalk in partnership with our Natural Areas team which is a fantastic opportunity for them to gain hands on experience.

“Upgrading the path by extending the boardwalk provides a safer and easily accessible path for our visitors.”

IMPACT Community Services is assisting in the project through their Work Skills Traineeships – Skilling Queenslanders for Work Program.

Supervisor Rob Alder said the project provided the opportunity for their trainees to gain hands on experience to assist in building up their self-confidence.

“We have got ten trainees in conservation and ecosystem management who are employed by IMPACT Community Services with the help of SQW funding from the Queensland Government,” Rob said.

“This group of trainees are into their fourteenth week and have been doing other tasks but are really enjoying being out here doing the boardwalk.

“Projects like these give them the opportunity to upskill which is really important as some of these people may have lost their self-esteem.”

Rob said the trainees had come from a range of different backgrounds and the projects were a chance for them to make a difference within the community.

“The trainees might be youths straight out of school who have found it tough to get into the workforce or sometimes it is mothers who are re-entering the workforce after bringing up their kids or it could be people who want to change career,” he said.

“They might have started off being a concreter or a brick layer or something like that, but as they get on a little bit their body is not up to what they used to do so they need a bit of guidance as they may be down in the dumps because they have tried so many jobs and they cannot seem to get a job.

“Some of them were a little bit hesitant at first because they had never used any carpentry tools or anything like that, they also had to work out how to go around an arc in a boardwalk and work out the boards.

“Now they have been doing it for a week now they feel right at home, and they can sit back and look and think ‘wow what a difference we have made’.”

Golf legend Phil Curd to take new course

Ashley Schipper

COVER

Professional golfer Phil Curd has been the driving force behind local golf competitions for the past 25 years and will celebrate next week's 2022 Bargara Legends Pro-Am tournament as his last.

The passionate event director and his wife Janice are familiar faces at the Bargara Golf Course Pro Shop but in 2023 the duo plan to leave their roles and travel Australia to enjoy retirement.

The lifestyle change means Phil will pass on the Bargara Legends Pro-Am baton to a new organiser.

Phil has been the director of the competition since 2013 and has also managed other golfing events in the region for more than 25 years.

“Pro-Am tournaments having been running in Bargara since 1982 but they were all for the younger professional players,” he said.

“In 2013, legends golf really started to take off, so we introduced the Bargara Legends Pro-Am which is for professional players 50 years and over.

“It was really well-received, with big golfing names like Rodger Davis competing, and the event has been operating ever since.”

Phil said this year would see more than 70 professional golfers travel from around Australia to take part in the event at the Bargara Golf Club on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 July.

“We have a record number of 77 players competing across the two days,” he said.

“We encourage the community to come and watch the competition, the players like to get involved with the crowds and it is a great day out for everyone.”

Phil said after 40 years of competing around Australia and the Pacific as a professional golfer, the transition to event organiser had been a natural progression.

The sportsman said his long history with golf also included coaching the 2009 US Open Ladies Champion Eun-Hee Ji and winning titles such as the Qld PGA Club Professional of the Year and Top 50 PGA Coaches in Australia.

“I think what I love about golf is the fact that I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors,” he said.

“Golf is a wonderful game and I have always had a bit of luck with sport, so I really took to it.”

Phil said next week’s Bargara Legends Pro-Am event would be an extra-special one for him.

“While I am excited to have organised the event, I am also a little bit sad that this will be my last year of involvement, but all good things must come to an end," he said.

“I look forward to handing over the reins and giving someone else the opportunity to be part of such a great competition.”

It won’t be the last time that Phil puts down the golf clubs though.

“My wife and I have plans to caravan around Australia in our retirement and you can bet that the golf clubs will be coming with me,” he laughed.

Support offered to Bargara Legends Pro-Am

Bundaberg Regional Council has thrown its support behind the 2022 Bargara Legends Pro-Am through sponsorship funds of more than $1900.

Sport and Recreation portfolio spokesperson Cr Vince Haberman said Council was proud to support the event.

“Under the Partnerships and Sponsorships Grant Program, Council has agreed to support the Bargara Legends Pro-Am through gold sponsorship to the value of $1950,” he said.

“Over time the competition has become a key steppingstone for golf professionals who were just starting their careers.

“It has also attracted the likes of Nick O’Hern, John Senden, Ian Baker-Finch and Rod Pampling to name a few, and will continue to be a significant event for up-and-coming local golf stars in the future.

“Council is proud to sponsor an event that not only provides a place for sporting enthusiasts to challenge themselves but also showcases our region to visitors from around the nation.”

The Bargara Legends Pro-Am will attract more than 150 people to the event next week, injecting approximately $96,000 into the Bundaberg Region economy.

Netball carnival to attract thousands to Bundaberg

Ashley Schipper

NEWS

Up to two thousand netball players and supporters from across the state will arrive in Bundaberg during September for the Primary Schools Cup, with a direct spend of more than $800,000 estimated to benefit the region.

It will be the second time in four years that the event has been hosted locally, with Bundaberg Regional Council providing sponsorship funding of $15,000 to support its delivery.

Sport and Recreation portfolio spokesperson Cr Vince Habermann said the netball carnival was one of the largest of its kind and brought with it plenty of tourism opportunities and economic benefits.

“The majority of participants will travel from outside the region and will stay a minimum of two nights for the carnival, with the option to extend their trip to sightsee in our wonderful region” he said.

“Bundaberg hosted the same event in 2018 which provided an estimated direct spend into the community of $760,240.

“As past experiences have shown us, this event provides a huge economic boost, and we are estimating the 2022 Primary Schools Cup to provide a minimum direct spend of $860,000.”

Primary Schools Cup brings benefits for local players and community

Bundaberg Netball Association president Matt Leighton said the carnival would provide a professional sporting arena for local players to test their skills.

“This event provides Bundaberg primary school-aged girls and boys a chance to compete against schools from across the state in a two-day carnival,” he said.

“For some of the players it will be the first time they have competed in a multi-day carnival against other schools.

“It provides the girls and boys an opportunity to play netball at a higher level.”

Matt said there were also many positives about hosting the event in the Bundaberg Region.

“There will be over 500 players and officials from out of town coming to visit Bundaberg during the September school holidays,” he said.

“These players have other people attending with them, providing a huge boost to the local economy from accommodation, to food places as well as the tourist venues.

“Equipment such as cold rooms and generators are hired locally as well as all the food and drink required to keep over 2000 people fed and hydrated, providing additional benefits to local businesses.

“We also get to showcase the Bundaberg Netball facilities to Netball Queensland which may lead to other larger events in the near future such as Netball Queensland State Titles where there are over 192 teams participating.”

Matt said he was thrilled to be involved with the Primary Schools Cup event.

“I am looking forward to showcasing Bundaberg to the wider netball community and showcasing all the wonderful people and places that the Bundaberg Region has to offer,” he said.

“Bundaberg Netball Association would like to thank the Bundaberg Regional Council for their support and assistance in hosting the Primary Schools Cup event.”

The Primary Schools Cup will take place on 24 and 25 September.

Happy As Larry Dog Treats gets tails wagging in Childers

Ashley Schipper

BUSINESS

Pupcakes, chewy snacks and air-fried steak bites are just some of the products available at new Childers business Happy As Larry Dog Treats.

Located at 54a Churchill Street, the new shop is owned and operated by local woman and self-professed dog lover Sandy Tyas.

Sandy started the business 12 months ago after a change in lifestyle and said she was thrilled to now service the community through her very own shopfront, which opened for its first day of trade today.

“I started going to the markets and the response and support was amazing so I kept adding to the menu and found people would keep coming back, so I started growing bigger,” she said.

“I had to hire a hall to cook as I found I could cook larger quantities. I also offered free delivery so many orders came in that way also.

“All my treats and meals are made from human consumption ingredients with nothing added so you always know that you are giving your doggie the best quality meats, fruits and veggies.”

Happy As Larry Dog Treats named after RSPCA pooches

Sandy said she had always had a love for dogs and her experience working with animals had filtered through to her new business.

“I volunteer at RSPCA on Mondays so most of my treats are named after those beautiful doggies I help look after,” she said.

“These include meals like Milly’s Kangaroo, Petey’s Pork, Lulu’s Lamb, Bobos Beef and Stella’s Chicken.

“The satisfaction you feel giving those doggies some love and care just once a week keeps me going all week.”

Sandy said she was over the moon to now offer her products at her very own business.

“The pleasure of opening the shop and being able to meet everyone during the week is awesome,” she said.

“I close Sundays for Shalom Markets, and Mondays for RSPCA so it doesn't feel like working at all as it's all just too much fun!”

Happy As Larry Dog Treats is located at 54A Churchill Street, Childers and is open from 9 am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Find out more on the Facebook page here.

Wide Bay ITV launch puts spotlight on local faces

Ashley Schipper

BUSINESS

New Bundaberg-based online television platform Wide Bay ITV will officially launch on Monday with a range of ready-to-stream programs showcasing local presenters and talent.

Creator Phill Harris has been working behind the scenes to fill the program with local content and said a range of familiar faces would be showcased in the program line-up.

“Locally made shows include The Wide Bay AFL Footy Show hosted by Jimmy Power who is part of Waves Eagles and Griffin Webb from Brothers Bulldogs,” he said.

“They interview special guests and feature a fun competition each week.

“Seven local weekly shows will also be featured on Wide Bay ITV at this point, but this will grow over time.”

Phill said he liked to refer to Wide Bay ITV as “community TV” and aimed to revive locally produced content that once dominated the channels.

“In 1990 aggregation of free to air tv in regional Australia killed just about all local content,” he said.

“This is the return of local long form content – it's our faces in our own backyard and our own stories that we can now share with the world.

“As we are all so used to streaming services like YouTube and Netflix, it was a no brainer to start Wide Bay Internet Television as streaming service.”

Phill said he was excited to officially launch Wide Bay ITV to the community from next week.

“I hope our community get behind our own local TV channel by watching our shows, sharing the message that we exist and making their own shows for us to share,” he said.

“Wide Bay ITV is completely free to watch, 24/7, via widebayitv.com or the Amazon Fire TV app or the Android TV app for android smart TVs.”

Local shows on Wide Bay ITV:

The Collectors, hosted by Victoria Clarke, follows passionate collectors and their collections of classic cars to dolls and much more.

The Music Scene, hosted by Amanda McGinley, is a music showcase of local singers, songwriters and bands and sometimes special visiting guests.

The Garden Show, hosted by Raymond Sinnamon, examines local flora with hints and tips for better gardens in the region's climate.

In Bundy Tonight, hosted by Christie McLucas, is a variety show with guest performances and interviews from local and visiting artists and other interesting people.

The Creative Space, hosted by Corina Robinson, features interviews with artists of all disciplines.

The Whinge, hosted by Zoe Hudson, takes a look at social media posts to find out if some complaints are legitimate or just a whinge.

The Wide Bay AFL Footy Show, hosted by Jimmy Power and Griffin Webb, share interviews with special guests and run fun competitions each week.

Crunchy the quoll to celebrate fourth birthday

Emma Turnbull

COMMUNITY

Crunchy the spotted-tailed quoll will celebrate his fourth birthday this month and the community is invited to stop by Alexandra Park Zoo to say hello.

Crunchy came to the zoo from Devils @ Cradle, a wildlife conservation facility at Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, in 2019 and has called Bundaberg home ever since.

He has become quite a popular character and, according to zoo staff, is inquisitive, bold and cheeky.

Quolls are considered unique as they are the largest carnivorous mammal on Australia’s mainland and although they may look cute and furry, they have one of the strongest set of jaws.

According to WWF Australia quolls have the second highest bite force to body size ratio of any animal on the planet – second only to the Tasmanian devil.

In the wild, spotted-tailed quolls have a life expectancy of three to four years, but in captivity they are known to live between five and six years on average.

Parks and Gardens portfolio spokesperson Cr Wayne Honor said zookeepers would give a free talk about spotted-tailed quolls and Crunchy’s life to mark the special occasion on Wednesday 13 July.

“Our wonderful zookeepers will provide a free talk at 10.30 am and the community will be able to see Crunchy being fed, hear about him and ask questions,” Cr Honor said.

“Crunchy loves eating eggs, it is one of his favourite foods, and he will be given one as a birthday treat.

“The zookeepers will also have a preserved specimen of a previous quoll from the zoo for the public to have a closer look at.”

Crunchy's birthday bash a chance to learn more

Most parts of the country were once inhabited by at least one quoll species before they became endangered, with the creatures among the first native animals to be described by European scientists.

Cr Honor said the spotted-tailed quoll was native along Eastern Australia and could even be spotted locally, with other quoll species found in Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

He said the spotted-tailed quoll was the largest of the quoll species, reaching an average of 3.5 kg to 4 kg for males, and 1.8 kg for females.

“In the three years Crunchy has lived at Alexandra Park Zoo he has grown significantly, weighing 1.5 kg at 12 months of age to now weighing in at 3.05kg,” Cr Honor said.

“While the community is taking in Crunchy’s fourth birthday celebrations they can also pick up a free booklet on spotted-tail quolls, which provides information on his species and how we can help them.”

Crunchy will celebrate his fourth birthday at Alexandra Park Zoo on Wednesday 13 July.

Alexandra Park Zoo is committed to maintaining a diversity of species, with programs in place to assist in providing education about other endangered species such as the cotton-top tamarin monkeys.

Alexandra Park Zoo is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, located on Quay St, Bundaberg West.

Entry to the zoo is free.

For more information on how you can assist in the conservation of the quoll species and to report quoll sightings, head to the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland website.

Dorrie Day to inspire job seekers on career paths

Georgia Neville

COMMUNITY

The upcoming Dorrie Day, hosted by Port Curtis Coral Coast Trust Limited (PCCC), will connect job seekers with a range of employers to learn more about career options.

This is the second time the event has been hosted in Bundaberg, kicking off from 10 am at Central Queensland University’s Bundaberg campus on Thursday 25 August.

Dorrie Day will be held outdoors with Port Curtis Coral Coast Employment and Pathways Coordinator Shay Pearce explaining they hoped this would allow people to connect with country and limit any barriers that may exist in an inside setting.

“It will be all outside meaning there are no hall constraints or mental barriers for people by having it all on country,” Shay said.

“We hope people feel they can have the conversations with organisations to understand what is available and ask any questions they may have.”

Shay said Dorrie Day was an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded organisations and for businesses to come and connect with First Nations job seekers who have aspirations to work in industry.

“Dorrie Day is about helping our community to develop skills they need to find sustainable employment,” she said.

“The day aims to provide the opportunity for job seekers to look further than normal cues and understand career options, rather than a job they might keep for a short period of time.”

Shay said the event was open to everyone and encouraged people to come along and share their backgrounds to inspire others within the community.

“Anyone and everyone to come along so they can talk about what it is like to work in different professions,” she said.

“As you can imagine, many job seekers have questions and aspirations, so Dorrie Day gives people the space to be brave to ask these questions and have the discussions with employers and industry experts who can help them make a change towards finding sustainable future career options.

“There are a lot of school students coming, but we encourage everyone who can attend to attend.”

PCCC is committed to helping the community develop skills needed to find sustainable employment.

Through strong cultural focus, PCCC helps build capacity and empower people to make strong life choices to develop their lives.

For more information on the expo contact the PCCC office on 4167 0037 or head to the website here.

Crescent Street transforms into Little Italy

Georgia Neville

LIFESTYLE

Next month you can experience the magic of Italy in Childers with Crescent Street set to come alive with a splash of colour, Italian-themed food vendors and plenty of la musica as part of the 2022 Childers Festival.

With everything from traditional Italian flavours including salami vendors, gnocchi and wood-fired pizza, there will be something for everyone with the event kicking off at 4 pm on Saturday 30 July.

Bundaberg Regional Council’s Arts, Culture and Events portfolio spokesperson Cr John Learmonth said the event was a fantastic opportunity for Childers to showcase its multicultural roots.

“I encourage everyone to spend the night in Childers on Saturday night, with Crescent street transforming into Little Italy ahead of the festival day on Sunday,” Cr Learmonth said.

“Childers is a very multicultural community and showcasing cultures has always been a big part of the festival line up, with this night a chance for people to relax and enjoy all that is on offer.”

Food vendors who will help transform Crescent Street into Little Italy include:

BayFusion will be bringing a fantastic menu of Italian favourites including creamy penne pasta, cannelloni, garlic bread and Panacotta with local mango/pistachio to name a few

Hungry Rhino’s Woodfired Pizza

Tasty Street Food’s special menu of arancini and gnocchi

Bugsy’s Creamy Creations Gelato

Moffatdale Ridge Winery’s selection of wines

Goose On The Loose selling their Artisan range of premium salami

Old Style Gourmet with their traditional wood-smoked smallgoods

Rotary will have a sausage sizzle

Isis Masonic Lodge will be running the Crescent Street bar

The Italian flair will be combined with some great local artists as well as performances from 10-piece soundwave sensation The Sunny Coast Rude Boys, Kiwi crooner Danny Faifai from “The Koi Boys”, a feature performance from world-renowned Italian tenor David De Vito, plus much more.

Live entertainment on the Paverock Quarry stage will include:

4 – 4.30 pm Isis District State High School String Orchestra

4.30 – 5 pm Bundaberg State High School Instrumental Music

5 – 5.20 pm Ricardo Bona

5.20 – 6 pm Jake and Elwood Blues Brothers Show

6 – 6.15 pm David De Vito

6.15 – 7.30 pm Danny Faifai from “The Koi Boys”

7.30 – 9 pm Sunny Coast Rude Boys

You can find the full Childers Festival program here.

Follow Taste Festival Dessert Trail for local sweets

Emma Turnbull

LIFESTYLE

Immerse yourself in the sweet flavours of the Bundaberg Region and tantalise your tastebuds along the Dessert Trail during this year’s Taste Bundaberg Festival.

Several local businesses have included a special “Taste dessert” in their menu to share with the community during the 10-day festival.

Friends and families can enjoy a strawberry shortcake biscuit from Cake Sera Sera, handmade fudge by Cha Cha Chocolate, a New York-inspired cookie by The Cookie Daze, or a crème patisserie tart featuring delectable flavours of chocolate and macadamias at One Little Farm, just to name a few.

Cake Sera Sera owner Shanni-Lea McLeod said she looked forward to sharing her locally-inspired treat with the community during the Taste Bundaberg Festival.

“I’m pretty excited to be involved in this local event,” she said.

“I’ve created a strawberry shortbread biscuit, so it’s special and unique for the Taste Festival.

“I normally do a vanilla shortbread, but when it was offered to take part in the Dessert Trail using local produce there were lots of options, and I thought biscuits were a little different and I incorporated local strawberries.

“The shortbread biscuits have a strawberry flavour that is quite strong as I used the freeze-dried strawberries from SSS Strawberries, and jam from Bargara Berries to hold the icing onto the biscuit.

“It’s also been amazing to work with Mel from Cha Cha, where my strawberry biscuits will be available.”

Shanni-Lea said it was a privilege to live in a region that had both fruit and vegetables readily available at an affordable price.

She said it was no wonder Taste Bundaberg Festival was a highlight on the local annual event calendar.

“It’s always good to support local businesses and I do as much as I can,” Shanni-Lea said.

“We have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, that isn’t expensive, right here on our doorstep.

“Events like Taste not only get the community involved but it is also great for tourism and helps put our region on the map.”

Events portfolio spokesperson Cr John Learmonth said the newly added Dessert Trail gave local businesses the opportunity to tempt the community’s tastebuds even more during the 10 days of festivities.

He said each of the seven businesses involved were featured on a special map in the Taste Bundaberg Festival program, with dessert-lovers encouraged to visit all to satisfy their dessert cravings.

“From handcrafted gelato or fudge to pancakes and cookies, the Taste dessert menu has something for everyone,” Cr Learmonth said.

“Community members will have the chance to follow the map throughout the ten days of Taste and take in a variety of flavours.”

The Dessert Trail aims to provide the community further opportunity to experience and taste Bundaberg’s food delights and the treats on offer.

Cr Learmonth said the new initiative provided an opportunity for businesses to participate within the festival on a smaller scale – creating a dessert item exclusive to the ten days of the festival, made from at least 75 per cent local produce.

Taste Bundaberg Festival Dessert Trail

1. Handcrafted gelato by Bargara Berries at 104 Hoods Rd, Meadowvale.

2. Strawberry flavoured shortbread biscuit by Cake Sera Sera at Cha Cha Chocolate, 84 Bourbong St.

3. Handmade fudge by Cha Cha Chocolate at 84 Bourbong Street.

4. Blueberry pancakes by Indulge Cafe at 80 Bourbong Street.

5. Chocolate and macadamia tart cream patisserie by One Little Farm at 3/133 Bargara Rd, Bundaberg East.

6. New York style chunky cookies by The Cookie Daze at Taste Bundaberg Festival Farmers Market, Bundaberg Recreational Precinct.

7. Gourmet cupcakes and macarons by The Cupcake Girls.

In addition to the Dessert Trail, the 2022 Taste Bundaberg Festival will feature a culinary-filled schedule from 5 to 14 August.

Find out more by following the Facebook page here.

In Our Garage with Terry Hough's VE Commodore

LIFESTYLE

Terry Hough is part of the HST Racing team, which also features his son Brandon Hough and Fletcher Smith, who built their VE commodore for competitions.

What work have you done on the car?

This is probably our third car that we have made.

We started off with a VK and then we made another VE and this is the newest VE as it is only a year old.

It is about a 2007 year model VE commodore but it runs the earlier motor like in a VR and a VS commodore which is an Ecotec engine.

What is its main purpose?

Basically, we just like to go out and have a bit of fun.

There is not much prize money in Speedway but we love to go out and enjoy ourselves and hopefully the car comes home neat and tidy or as best it can be with a bit of racing.

What happens after the car has been raced?

Well, normally after the boys have been racing I have got to do repairs on the car, for example we have just come back from our Australian title which was in Toowoomba which was a very big weekend and the car still needed a bit of repair work.

This is our off season now, we have about three months off, so I will be doing fibreglass repairs and mechanical bits and pieces.

Who usually drives?

If we go away, we only take the two VEs now and Brandon and Fletcher race and I am chief mechanic doing the repairs on the night that may need to be done or changing tyres to get different ratios for different tracks and basically keep the cars running most of the night.

What is under the bonnet?

Basically, just a standard motor which comes out of a VR car.

We cannot do much to it as we are a limited class so basically all you can do to it is put a cam in it and go racing.

A cam works the lifters and timing and gives you more power.

Can you describe the interior of the car?

On the inside all you have got is a race seat with a five-point race harness and your gear stick, a steering wheel, an on/off button and a start button.

We roll around to the start, usually in the gear you are racing and once that green light drops you put your foot hard to the floor and throw it into the corner.

You get it round the corner then down the back shoot and back around the other corner and then you are back where you started from.

Is there a reason why it is so stripped back?

For less items to burn in the car if the car ever catches alight.

You cannot have any glass or plastic in the car which is why they strip all the bits and pieces out of the car.

It also makes it a little bit lighter as well.

What is on the outside of the car?

The livery on the side of the car is a bit of a tribute to Holden racing team because Holdens are no longer being made, so it is paying homage to what has been.

It is a bit of a tearaway from a couple of different makes and models that HRT used to race.

To have your vehicle featured in In Our Garage email us at news@bundabergnow.com