Sunshine Valley Gazette

Owner Darren Bailey will close this chapter on the popular Nambour business. Nambour is set to bid farewell to one of its iconic businesses, the Nambour Book Exchange, which will close its doors after nearly four decades of operation. Owner Darren Bailey announced the closure on Monday, expressing gratitude to his loyal customers for their support over the years. “The time has come for beautiful Nambour to lose another iconic long-standing business,” Mr Bailey said. “I was hoping to make it to our bookshop’s 40th year anniversary next year, but it’s not to be. So, 39 years in the same place is quite an achievement.” To bookend the sad occasion, the Nambour Book Exchange will host a farewell sale from September 16 to 30.  Customers can take advantage of great deals on books and receive free gifts with their purchases.  Mr Bailey encouraged the community to visit and support the store one last time before it closes. The Nambour Book Exchange is one of the largest book exchanges in the country.  “It is hard to say exactly how many books we have, but it is well in the order of hundreds of thousands,” Mr Bailey said recently.  “We have customers who come […]

Captain David Donaldson Amidst escalating challenges, the Salvation Army is gearing up to launch its 60th Red Shield Appeal in Nambour. As inflation and homelessness bite and the cost-of-living crisis deepens, recent research has unveiled the extent of the struggle faced by individuals and families in the community. A staggering 94 percent of respondents in a recent study admitted to grappling with the affordability of basic necessities such as housing, groceries, medical care, and utilities. This has meant 63 percent have skipped meals, while 45 percent have been forced to decide between paying for housing or purchasing food. One Sunshine Coast mother, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her distressing experience: “Having to constantly borrow money off friends due to not being able to buy essentials. I’m having to go days without eating so my kids can eat, cancelling specialist appointments that are a requirement for my health due to the cost of living.” This research, based on 1500 respondents who sought assistance from the Salvos Doorways financial relief service over the past year, underscores the urgent need for support. Captain David Donaldson of the Salvation Army in Nambour emphasised the severity of the situation: “It’s disheartening to see our

Shikani Sargent, the first Keeper, is engaging the community as a Street Philosopher Artists transform streets with public art via The Keeper Project, a public art initiative previously showcased in Coolum, has arrived in Nambour. The project features 11 local artists over 33 weeks, each bringing their unique creative talents to the streets of Nambour. Producer Angie Dunbavan said the project recently kicked off with Shikani Sargent, the first Keeper, who is engaging the community as a Street Philosopher. Each Keeper will hold their role for three weeks, passing the baton to the next artist, such as local photographer Fiona Harding who will document the town’s significant trees to create a texture data set. “The Keeper Project encourages conversations and connections between artists and the community, fostering a deeper sense of place and artistic appreciation,” said Ms Dunbavan. Nambour residents are invited to interact with the Keepers, share local stories, and witness the evolving art. The project’s progress and the artists’ experiences will be logged and shared on social media platforms. • For more information, visit The Keeper Project website – keeperproject.com.au–to get a sense of the diverse creative acts involved.

Sunshine Coast Foodie, Martin Duncan, and his scone squad are looking forward to having many “Sconeversations” in Nambour town square. Sunshine Coast Foodie Martin Duncan has been baking up a storm, and connecting Sunshine Coast communities since 2018 with his much-loved Sconetime morning teas. “Sconetime originally started in Cooroy after the Hall had been renovated,” said Martin. “We put it to the community that the occasion was meritorious of a special event to celebrate, and Sconetime was born. “We basically host a very beautiful morning tea, complete with tea and scones, served on vintage crockery, on tables decorated with linen and flowers. It is a wonderful excuse for our guests to get dressed up, be served food that has been prepared with love, and have conversations with fellow guests. “Loneliness and disconnect is such a huge problem in our community, especially amongst the elderly and this seemed like a lovely way to address it,” he said. As the event has evolved, people of all ages and backgrounds are taking part. “We now have school students getting involved which has been fantastic,” Martin said. “The Beerwah State High School band and the Buderim School choir have both performed at Sconetime, and we

by Cameron Outridge The Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show is hoping to welcome a record number of visitors this year. Show Society President Rowan O’Hara is optimistic about hitting the 40,000 mark, positioning it as the third largest show in Queensland, just behind Brisbane and Cairns. “If everything’s on trend and the weather is good, we’re striving for 40,000 people through the gates this year. From six years ago up to 2023, the show has grown 92 percent in numbers,” said Mr O’Hara. “We are really truly up there. We aim to be as popular a show as we can be, continuing to push those traditions of farming, agriculture, and local produce that make us unique.” The Show has become synonymous with family-friendly fun, agriculture and local produce. Mr O’Hara, who has been part of the Show for 25 years and president since 2019, emphasised the importance of agricultural education. “What I love about the job is the community surrounding agriculture and also the agricultural education. It’s important to explain to people about food and fibre, where it comes from, and its significance,” he explained. Entertainment Highlights This year, the June 14, 15 and 16 Show promises an array of attractions

The event attracted 43 golfers living with an intellectual disability from around South East Queensland. Nambour based charity Golf Programs Australia Incorporated (GPAI) hosted Queensland’s most participated Special Olympics Australia (SOA) golf competition on Sunday 26th May at the magnificent Palmer Coolum Golf Course which attracted 43 golfers living with an intellectual disability from around Sth East Queensland. PGA Professional and GPAI founder Darrell Dalton and his dedicated team of volunteers arrived early to set up for the Special Olympics Sunshine Coast (SOSC) event at the internationally renowned course & former home of one of the nations most prestigious golf tournaments, The Australian PGA Championships. “To have our golfers given the opportunity to compete on a golf course of this caliber is a rarity as it’s still rated in the top 15 in the country… this is the 2nd year we’ve secured Palmer Coolum for this SOSC competition with this event setting a new record for participation in Queensland,” Dalton said. The forecast predicted a 60% chance of rain that had Darrell, his team and participants concerned the day would require a host of wet weather gear, but the Sunshine Coast lived up to its name by turning on perfect

Some of the original Big W staff who still work at the Nambour store are pictured with Racheal Pascoe, centre. by Racheal Pascoe It has already been 20 years since Big W came to town, offering locals more variety when shopping and another opportunity for employment. When Big W opened in June 2004 it was an exciting time for our little town. I have a special interest in this store as I was a Training and Recruitment Manager for Big W at the time. Many of you will remember the recruitment drive we held at the Crushers Football Club. We had over 1300 applications from locals looking to work at the new store and it was a big job to find the best people for the roles. Over the next weeks and months, we whittled the list down and opened the store with 154 staff. Weeks and weeks of inductions were held. Everyone endured the 6 hour, 2 part induction, covering lots of safety and Woolworths/Big W history. I met everyone during this time and still say hello to the employees who have stayed all this time. The store was built and filled with stock but you might remember the

In the wake of International Nurses’ Day and International Day of the Midwife, Nambour General Hospital nurses stand at the forefront of a heartfelt campaign recognising their invaluable contributions. Sunshine Coast Health’s recent call for the community to send messages of support to be shared at an awards ceremony was met with an outpouring of gratitude. Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery Lisa Newport expressed her appreciation for the dedication and compassion shown by nurses and midwives. As part of the annual awards ceremony, heartfelt messages from the community were highlighted, acknowledging the unwavering commitment of these healthcare professionals. The messages serves as a poignant reminder of their efforts and the profound impact they have on patient care. This initiative underscores the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the remarkable work of nurses and midwives in our healthcare system. The awards are over but you can still send your message of appreciation to sc-communications@health.qld.gov.au or comment on Instagram or Facebook @sunshinecoasthealth.

From left, Showdown Co-Founder Dan Munday, third assistant director Jaymee Sudrajat, actors Darren Gilshenan and Anna McMahon, line producer Eve Donohue, producer Janneke Williamson, director of photography Andrew Maccoll, and director Ryan Neil Butler. Founded by Nambour High graduates, Jon Coghill (Powderfinger), and Dan Munday (US Survivor), Sunny Coast Showdown is presented by the Bendigo Community Bank–Tewantin, Cooroy, and Marcoola, and is now in its third year. “The aim of Showdown is to increase the production capacity of the Sunny Coast in order to create a lucrative and sustainable film industry,” Dan said. “Showdown produces 6 short films and documentaries, submitted by the community, and led by industry professionals who mentor and train up-and-coming filmmakers and crew.” Last week the crew were filming “Stiffs”, a mockumentary in the vein of “The Office” and “Parks and Rec”, which was written by award winning writer and actor Stephen Walker. The two day shoot took place at the Eddie De Vere building, in the Sunshine Coast Council chambers in Nambour. “There were 60 crew and volunteers, from camera operators and directors, to costume designers and makeup artists,” said Dan. “I want to extend a huge thankyou to Tiff Bower and Matty Johnson from

The Melbourne Staff Band is one of the most accomplished and respected brass bands in the country. by Tanya Outridge Get ready to be swept away by the sounds of the esteemed Melbourne Staff Band as they make their way to Nambour for the 60th anniversary celebrations of The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal. The iconic brass band will grace the stages of the Nambour Salvation Army Hall and Suncoast Christian College Church, and also perform at the Nambour Rummagers Market on Sunday May 19 in the Council Forecourt, Currie Street. Nambour Salvation Army Captain David Donaldson was excited about the band’s visit. He said it was an opportunity to raise vital funds for local social programs while enjoying world-class musical performances. “Having a brass band of this calibre performing for us over the weekend is extremely exciting,” Captain Donaldson said. “This band tours nationally, and also internationally, and they have performed with James Morrison.” Established in Melbourne in 1890, the band was made up of a small group of officers and employees brought together under the leadership of Staff Officer Jeremiah Eunson to assist in meetings conducted by Army leaders and to campaign in the area. “From very humble