Herald 20221025

Toowoomba Together seeks
award nominations
Local anti-gender-based violence advocacy
group, Toowoomba Together Incorporated is
encouraging the community to place their nominations
for their annual awards ceremony next
month.
Toowoomba Together Incorporated are taking
nominations for the Paul Myatt Memorial Safer
Region Award and the five pillar awards that will
be held during the Community Recognition Evening.
The advocacy organisation was established
in 2006 as the Toowoomba Says No to Violence
movement with the Toowoomba Together campaign
being launched in 2016.
Since its inception, Toowoomba Together aims
to drive social change around domestic and gender-based
violence through education, awareness
campaigns, preventative programs and partnerships.
Toowoomba Together Incorporated chair John
Minz said the five pillar awards were categorised
into health, education, sports, faith, and business/
workplace.
“If you know of an individual or organisation
from the Toowoomba Region who displays an outstanding
commitment to the promotion of non-violence
in our community, please nominate them
for one or more of the awards online,” he said.
The Toowoomba Together Incorporated Community
Recognition event will be held at Empire
Theatre Church on Friday, November 4 and will
MET Phys EXERCISE
THERAPY
PHYSIOTHERAPY
OCTOBER
MENTAL HEALTH
MONTH
October is recognised as Mental Health
month throughout a number of Australian
states.
Here in Queensland, we celebrate Mental
Health Week between 8-16th of October. Mental
Health Week is an annual awareness initiative that
promotes individual and community mental health
and wellbeing and boosts the awareness of mental
illness prevalence within the community.
Research suggests exercise is beneficial for
managing poor mental health. Exercise releases
chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that
improve your mood. It is an excuse to get outside,
reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation
and put you in touch with other people. Regular
exercise is proven to reduce stress and symptoms
of depression and anxiety contributing to helping
achieve recovery from mental health issues.
Check out our website for our full Mental Health
Month blog here:
https://www.metphys.com/mental-health-and-exercise/
metphys.com.au
admin@metphys.com
Shop 2 & 3,10517 New England
Highway, Highfields. 4352
Ph: 07 4599 3165
6 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - OCTOBER 25, 2022
Mr MINZ - Commitment to non-violence
go from 6pm to 8pm.
Nominations for the awards are open until
Wednesday, October 26 and can be made by
searching for Toowoomba Together Inc. on Facebook.
To register for the TTI Community Recognition
Evening, visit Eventbrite.com.au and search Community
Recognition Evening. Registration is free.
Council welcomes new
general manager
Dr Nikola Stepanov is Toowoomba
Regional Council’s
new Planning and Development
General Manager, replacing
Stewart Somers who has retired
after being in the position since
amalgamation in 2008.
TRC CEO Brian Pidgeon said
Dr Stepanov had been successful
following a highly competitive
nation-wide recruitment process.
“Dr Stepanov has many years
of experience advising and
working with local governments
at a strategic and expert level,” Mr
Pidgeon said.
“Most recently, Dr Stepanov
was the Queensland Integrity
Commissioner where she provided
advice to local governments on
confidential matters, including
issues related to planning and
development.
“Dr Stepanov brings tremendous
value to our organisation with her
considerable skills and expertise
in ethical leadership, community
engagement, mediation, negotiation
and project delivery.
“Nikola’s extensive experience
and skills will ensure that
the Council’s Planning and
Development Group and the
development industry maintain
a collaborative and constructive
relationship that effectively
balances economic and
sustainable regional development.
“On behalf of Council, I wish
Dr Stepanov every success in the
role and look forward to working
with her over the coming years."
Dr Nicola Stepanov
new planning manager
Toowoomba
BreastScreen
turns 30
BreastScreen Queensland
Toowoomba Service celebrated
its 30th birthday last week, as
all women are being reminded
about the importance of regular
breast checks.
Medical Director at Breast-
Screen Toowoomba Heather Jeffery
said breast cancer was the
most commonly diagnosed cancer
for Australian women.
“Sadly, one in seven women
are diagnosed with breast cancer
during their life,” Dr Jeffery
said.
Since opening in 1992,
Toowoomba’s BreastScreen
Clinic has screened more than
444,000 women.
“Last year we screened nearly
15,000 women through our
Toowoomba clinic and our mobile
vans,” Dr Jeffery said
“Every one of those breast
screens is so important to ensure
the best health outcomes for our
local women.”
Women 40 and over are eligible
to receive a free breast screen
through the service, the best way
to detect breast cancer early.
Additionally, the Breast-
Screen Queensland Toowoomba
Service will host a special event
for local Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander women on November
1 and 2.
The two-day event is aimed
at creating a welcoming space
to encourage more First Nations
women to be breast aware.
A doctor’s referral is not needed
to access this free service.
For more information about
BreastScreen Queensland
Toowoomba Service or to make
an appointment visit breastscreen.qld.gov.au/
or phone 13
20 50.
Galleries feature exhibitions
inspired by landscape
The Crows Nest Gallery and the Rosalie Gallery
will host exhibitions featuring art work inspired
by the local native landscapes.
Toowoomba-based artist Samantha Nolan’s exhibition
Rewilding will be on display at the Crows
Nest Gallery from October 19 through to November
13.
The I Love Goombungee exhibition featuring
the work of 15 Goombungee artists will be showing
during the same time at the Rosalie Gallery.
Ms Nolan, who has been painting in the
Toowoomba Region for 20 years, paints predominantly
in oils and acrylics.
Artworks in Rewilding depict her relationship
with the natural environment and have been inspired
by visits to the Crows Nest National Park
and family bush walks in the surrounding district.
Rewilding features a series of mixed media
paintings that represent a longing for reconnecting
with nature and a desire to be lost or immersed in
a world beyond the contemporary built or digital
realms.
Works depict detailed, realistic figures that are
hiding and exploring expressive, and at times,
semi-abstract, natural landscapes.
The 15 artists featured in I Love Goombungee
exhibit will showcase various mediums from
photography, abstract painting and sculptures. I
Love Goombungee proudly supports Goombungee’s
annual Jacaranda Day celebrations, which is
scheduled for Saturday, November 5.
The festival was first staged in 1993 and has become
a popular highlight on the district’s social
calendar.
Rosalie Gallery is committed to displaying the
talents of Goombungee’s creative community at
its latest exhibition.
Crows Nest Gallery, at the corner of the New
England Highway and William Street is open
from 10.30am to 3.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.
On Friday, October 21, the
Darling Downs Regional Alliance,
representating six regional
towns, came together to speak
as one voice to Toowoomba Region
Councillors.
The Alliance includes Crows
Nest Progress, Recreation and
Tourism Association, Highfields
Chamber of Commerce, Millmerran
Commerce and Progress
Association, Oakey Chamber of
Commerce, Pittsworth District
Alliance, Toowoomba Chamber
of Commerce, along with Clifton
Chamber of Commerce and
Yarraman Business Group.
President of the Toowoomba
Chamber Kate Venables said,
“With a combined membership
of representing almost 1000
businesses and community
groups, the Alliance is on the
ground listening to their communities
as issues arise.
“In recognition of the similarity
of issues that relate to the
Council, an invitation was extended
for councillors to have
an opportunity to listen to community
leaders advocating on
behalf of their members.
“Too much red tape, lack ofparks
and facilities maintenance,
internal miscommunication,
lack of ongoing consultation on
masterplans and burdensome
volunteer inductions were all
highlighted by the Alliance as
persistent and costly barriers
caused by TRC systems and processes.
“The cost of hiring rooms in
TRC facilities and the $10 million
public liability insurance
demands, along with a request
that Council meetings rotate
around the region were other issues
the Alliance raised for the
Councillors to act on.
“Despite the frustration outlined
by Mayor Paul Antonio,
that the legislative restrictions
impose on communication between
councillors and TRC employees,
some agreement was
reached for some of the issues.
“The Mayor talked about their
job to listen and make things
happen when they can and empathised
with the frustration the
internal red tape experienced by
local communities.
“The Alliance felt that there
Jacaranda Time-Goombungee - John Aven’el
On display at the Rosalie Gallery
Rosalie Gallery at 89 Mocatta Street, Goombungee
is open from 10.30am to 3.30pm Wednesday
to Sunday. Entry is free.
Plant stall
For gardeners looking for plants at a bargain
price, the Crows Nest Garden Club will hold a
plant stall this Saturday, October 29, from 7.30am
to 12.30pm between Crows Nest Pharmacy and the
Bakery.
Alliance argues for better
deal for businesses
This phrase conjures up different things for different
people in today’s world.
For some, it is simply children door knocking
for a treat of sweets, or they’ll play a trick on you.
Seemingly, just a bit of innocent fun.
For others it’s a chance to dress up in ghoulish
costumes and party.
The occasion for this custom is Halloween, but
today’s version is somewhat changed from its medieval
roots.
There are many different thoughts on both the
origins of Halloween and the tradition of trick or
treating if you do a little research.
There are however, two things common to most
of the information on the history of it all.
One is that Halloween has its roots in the Celtic
festival of Samhain; a pagan religious celebration
where costumes were worn to ward off ghosts.
Secondly, it is always associated with death,
darkness and evil spirits.
One wonders if this is a good thing to be celebrating
at all. The commercialism that has crept
into it is also off putting. All through October it
is not possible to go shopping without being confronted
with skeletons, witches’ hats, masks or
CHRISTIAN COMMENT
was real value in the meeting
and are looking forward to seeing
movement in the insurance
demands, volunteer inductions,
and greater consultation as masterplans
are rolled out in the
towns.
“Ultimately the true impact of
the meeting will only be measured
by actions taken – so we
will continue to push for more
action around the issues that impact
our communities.”
The purpose of the Darling
Downs Regional Alliance is
to support and be the voice of
regional business, working together
with other Chambers
and like associations within the
Toowoomba Local Government
Area to co-ordinate policy and
advocacy, networking and training;
collectively advocate for
what business sees as key drivers
to help growth across the
region; develop and implement
strategies to improve outcomes
related to regional business
growth; and provide members of
local business associations with
access to benefits of a co-ordinated
voice on regional issues.
Trick or Treat - Different things for different people
other items that ‘celebrate’ this pagan tradition.
It would seem to me to be a good time of the
year to celebrate life rather than death.
‘Life’ is all around us, in one another, and in
nature.
This season in Australia is spring when new life
abounds at every turn.
Livestock and poultry as well as our native animals
are giving birth to new life at this time of
year.
Jesus tells us in John 10:10 the reason that he
came to earth. “I am come that they may have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.”
The Greek dictionary meaning for the word
‘abundantly’ is exceeding, over and above, more
than necessary, supremely.
Let us enter into this abundance by focusing on
life, and on Jesus, the giver of life.
Dear Jesus, Thank you so much that you came
to give us abundant life. Help me to focus my
thoughts on you, and on the life you have given
me with a grateful heart. Amen
Contributed by John 15 Christian Fellowship,
Crows Nest. Contact: David Hiscock 0448 982
919
To advertise phone 4615 4416 or email herald@highcountrynews.net.au