Sunshine Valley Gazette

Nicklin MP and Museum Patron Rob Skelton, Clive Plater and Rosanna Natoli, who officated at the launch.  by Lindel Greggery History buffs and cane train enthusiasts flocked to the Nambour Museum on Saturday February 24 to celebrate the launch of the second edition of Locomotives of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, by Clive Plater OAM. Originally written in 2013 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the sugar mill’s closure, the updated book contains interesting new facts, including the history of the Maroochy River lift span tramway bridge that was destroyed by flood in 2022. Mr Plater said his love of locos was spurred by his father, Edgar Plater, who worked at the Moreton Sugar Mill for 51 years as an Engine Driver, Traffic Officer, Tramway and Bridge Supervisor, and Assistant Chief Cane Inspector. “Dad kept meticulous diaries relating to the tramlines and bridges from 1960 until 1981, and these helped me enormously with my research and were still being used for reference by mill staff 20 years after he retired,” Mr Plater said. The expanded edition of Locomotives of the Moreton Central Sugar Mill contains updates on the location and condition of the locos purchased by the mill between […]

An artist’s impression of the steampunk-inspired design of the Nambour Tram. Due to progress on the much-anticipated tram construction, the Nambour Rummagers Market is relocating to the heart of Nambour CBD. The market is moving from the tram terminal near Coles, to the Sunshine Coast Council/Nambour Library Forecourt on the corner of Currie and Bury Street from March 24. Following markets will be held on the third Sunday of every month from 9-12pm. “With the Tram Bogies due for build completion by mid this year and on the tracks in the Terminal by July, the Terminal will become somewhat of a build-site,” said Nambour Tram Co Director Greg Rogerson. “We hope to have open days, with a viewing deck, open to the public, so they can watch the tram being built from the ground up and with Rhonda (Billett) looking to grow the Nambour Rummagers Market for the community and Tram Co., we decided that expanding the Rummagers Markets into Currie Street was a good all round idea for the Tram Terminal and the Nambour Community.” Tram and market momentum “Im excited to expand on the Rummagers market foundations, we have worked hard on getting momentum for the market over

The 2024 local government election is Saturday March 16 and the Gazette has compiled everything you need to know about the Sunshine Coast Council hinterland & mayoral races. Hinterland residents in the Gazette readership area will vote for a new mayor and for division 5 and 10 councillors next Saturday, March 16, with all polling booths open from 8am to 6pm. In the meantime, Gazette journalist Janine Hill has been on the hustings and filing stories for our Election Guide. In addition you can watch all the mayoral and divsions 5 and 10 candidates in action at recent Meet the Candidates events below. We have also pitched your questions to the candidates. Each was given a  list of over 20 readers’ questions and asked to answer any six they wanted to, and to nominate one for print. Their answers for print are included after their profile stories this week.  The Sunshine Coast will be voting for a new mayor, after Mark Jamieson announced his retirement late last year. In divisions 5 and 10, incumbents Cr Winston Johnston and Cr David Law are running again.  • 2024 Sunshine Coast Council election mayoral candidates are Cr Jason O’Pray, Ashley Robinson OAM, Rosanna Natoli,

Costa Georgiadis, Matt Golinski & friends at last year’s Expo. This year’s event is on July 4-7. The Queensland Garden Expo, a horticultural staple in Australia for four decades, is gearing up for its 40th anniversary celebration with an extended four-day event (July 4-7). The Nambour Showgrounds will once again host a seven-hectare gardening experience, featuring Australia’s largest gardening speaker program including crowd favourites like Costa Georgiadis, Sophie Thomson, Jerry Coleby-Williams and Phil Dudman, plus celebrations to recognise the pivotal role of exhibitors since the Expo began in 1985. Event Manager Marion Beazley said, with over 360 exhibitors the event would bring together Australia’s gardening royalty, local permaculture and community groups, and more than 55 growers and nurseries. “The event was conceived by a group of Sunshine Coast Nursery Industry people who wanted to share their love of gardening and knowledge with local gardeners, and has grown year-on-year to the gardener’s paradise our visitors travel far and wide for,” said Ms Beazley. “Since its inception, we estimate that the Queensland Garden Expo has welcomed close to 1 million visitors and has contributed over $200 million to the Sunshine Coast economy. “This 40-year celebration is really a call out for locals;

By Janine Hill A NURSE has credited a Burnside-based education program for teen mothers with saving her life. “Shelley” had two children under three, no support and no hope when she connected with STEMM – the Supporting Teenagers with Education, Mothering and Mentoring program at Burnside State High School. She had not completed high school but was able to enrol in a tertiary pathways program at STEMM which led her out of an abusive, controlling relationship, into a nursing degree and to a happier life. “I think it saved my life,” Shelley said of the program. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I would still be sitting in that environment, probably on drugs, not working a day in my life, and my kids would have grown up in that environment,” she said. Shelley said that through STEMM, she recognised she was in a domestic violence relationship and was able to access the support and help she needed to leave. “I had never been in a relationship before. I just thought that must be what it’s meant to be like. I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t know how to get out of it,” she said. She

Positive future: Rhonda Billett addresses a recent Nambour Chamber of Commerce meeting. The local “I am Nambour” organisation is rolling our several projects in 2024 to help promote Nambour and hinterland. “We will have new projects on the agenda that include things like better promotion of the night time events in the CBD as well as more new events in the CBD,” said I am Nambour spokesperson Rhonda Billett.  “That includes the new Nambour Twilight market.  We also have the Nambour Rummagers Market moving from Tram Co into the CBD and we plan on heavily supporting our Showgrounds events like the Sunshine Coast Show as well as some of our other maxi-sized Show Grounds events like the 40 year anniversary of the Nambour Garden Expo in 2024.   “Our goal is to have the CBD tie in with these huge events as much as possible.  “We are also asking that if you have an event on in Nambour, or surrounding Nambour, to please tag us @IamNambour so we can share your event and spread the word further. Our I am Nambour marketing director Maree, from McGrath Media, is available to assist in promoting all Nambour events and Nambour business events. 

An artist’s impression of the plan for Lowe and Ann Streets.  by Janine Hill A council report on the Nambour Place Plan says there was 94 percent support for the streetscaping plan. However, while 69 percent of the 446 people who provided feedback on the plan last year did indeed support the overall plan put forward, almost a third were not entirely convinced. Twenty-five percent said they would support it if there were changes and six percent were not in favour of it at all. The plan looks at upgrades at five key points in the middle of town: the Currie, Howard and Mill Streets intersection; Mill Street; Bury Street and the council forecourt; Howard Street between Ann and Sydney Streets; and the Ann and Low Street intersection.  It includes some raised crossings, seating, street plantings, and making Bury Street one-way between Mill Street and Currie Street. An engagement report says the plan aims to “improve the centre’s streetscapes, facilitate a diverse range and scale of events, and bring new playful experiences, journeys and cultural connections to the community”.  The engagement plan does not specifically say what changes 25 percent of people wanted to the overall plan but does refer

Give us a chance:  Jodie Weston, Sharan Coombes, Abigail Permewan & Dean Hartley hope to spread information about the concerns of  homeless people. by Janine Hill A SIT-IN  in Nambour’s town square aims to raise awareness of homelessness and draw support for plans to provide some shelter for those who need it. Abigail Permewan, who has been without a home for four years, has been pushing for the council to allow the disused Fred Murray Building, in Currie Street, to be used as a homeless shelter or sanctuary. She met with council staff and Division 10 Councillor David Law on 15 and 16 February to try and progress the idea. “I need six councillors on-side,” said Abigail. “That building is sitting there full of rats but basically unused. So the rats have somewhere to go while we’re living in a flooded creek. “They have said that they’re doing an analysis of the building. It was built in 1983 and is still zoned commercial,” she said. “It would have to be rezoned to be a homeless shelter and it would have to be brought up to standard.” Abigail understands that getting the council to consider the idea is only the beginning

TeresaBaselga (L) and Magali Feuga (R) are bringing their paintings to life in the Old Ambo. The Old Ambulance Station gallery in Nambour is starting its 2024 season of art with two exhibitions by talented female painters. Soul Sugar is Magali Feuga’s name for her recent works. Mostly painted in 2023, these depictions of women’s faces are raw, urbane, and funky. Originally from France, she moved to the Sunny Coast in 2018. Magali works in acrylic, ink, spray paint, and mixed media on canvas, and thinks of her paintings as sweetness for the soul.  She likes working in primary colours, and although her red, white and blue works reflect the French flag, the Tricolore, she believes this is a coincidence. Magali says she paints to express herself and as a way of communicating with others. She has always been curious about humanity, who we are, and feels more in touch with people than places, which is why she paints faces instead of landscapes. Our other artist for February is Teresa Baselga who presents us with The Shape of Memories. Teresa was living in Madrid and studying nursing five years ago when she started to paint to relieve stress. She moved

Peter Walsh says council needs to get back to basics on community safety, infrastructure, waste management and maintenance. by Janine Hill A Police Officer and Army Reserve Major driven to improve life in the hinterland has raised his hand for council.  Peter Walsh, who has worked as a First Response Officer at Nambour Police Station for more than 17 years, will contest Division 10 at the local government elections in March. He will take on sitting councillor David Law and another contender, Camillo Primavera, for the right to represent what is the region’s biggest division, and includes Nambour, Yandina, Mapleton, Eumundi and Kenilworth. Mr Walsh, who has lived on the cusp of Nambour and Woombye for 24 years, said he wants to work together with the whole community for better outcomes for all residents.  “I’ve seen that there are needs in our towns, particularly at the basic level, that are not being adequately covered.  I feel that we in the hinterland, not just in Division 10, need a voice that’s prepared to represent the people,” he said. With a back to basics focus, he wants to see improvements to community safety, infrastructure, waste management and maintenance. “There’s times when I’ve