Sunshine Valley Gazette

Majestic Cinemas chief executive officer Kiren Dell said business had been down by 30 percent across the industry during the past 18 months. by Janine Hill HINTERLAND residents have been urged to rally behind Nambour’s Majestic cinema as its parent company faces an uncertain future. Majestic Cinemas, which operates nine regional cinemas on the east coast, including one at Nambour, has gone into voluntary administration. The cinemas are still trading under administration while the company undergoes a restructure with a view to continuing operations into the future. A statement to its moviegoers cited natural disasters, the pandemic, Hollywood strikes and a lack of consistent major movie releases as contributing to difficulties over the past four years. Majestic Cinemas chief executive officer Kiren Dell said business had been down by 30 percent across the industry during the past 18 months. Mr Dell said Majestic leased eight of its nine cinemas, meaning it had fixed expenses to cover with reduced revenue and this had resulted in accumulated debt. He said attempts would be made to renegotiate leases while under administration to put it into a better position to continue trading. “Administration doesn’t mean we are closing and it doesn’t mean we are […]

Vintage charm on wheels: President Kevin Bailey, left, and Secretary John Purcell with John’s 1959 Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire. New members are welcome, as are the public, at the February 25 Open Day and Display. Step back in time with the Sunshine Coast Antique Car Club as they gear up for their annual Sign-On Day. On February 25, the Nambour Showgrounds will transform into a vintage car enthusiast’s paradise, with around 100 members’ prized automobiles taking centre stage. From the gleam of polished chrome to the rich purr of classic engines, the exhibition is a feast for the senses.  Open to the public, the event promises a glimpse into the golden age of motoring, inviting one and all to revel in the history and elegance of these timeless machines. “We usually attract about 100 members’ cars for display,” said SCACC Secretary John Purcell. They will be on show in the Trade Pavilions at the Showgrounds (from 9.30-1pm).   “The SCACC has hosted other national and state based car clubs in the past and this year the club will be pleased to welcome the Mercedes Benz National Tour participants in May.” The club welcomed new member Chris Meldrum at last Wednesday’s

Andrew and Catherine Kendray and daughter  Georga took time out from a busy morning back in their original Rigby Street premises. From ashes to grand-reopening, the Kendray family, owners of the Stihl Shop Nambour, have been through a hell of a year after a fire gutted their business last February. Despite the calamity, the family business, operated by Andrew and Catherine Kendray and their daughters, Rebecca, Dana and Georga, held a grand re-opening on Saturday January 20.  The reopening was a major bright spot in a difficult year for the Kendrays, who had been working hard to keep the business running, across two temporary premises, because of insurance and building complexities. Catherine said the family couldn’t have been happier with the opening, and the support from locals, as over a hundred people flowed through the business during the morning. 

Artist Russell Anderson’s “steampunk” Nambour tram design has divided opinion. by Janine Hill THE much-anticipated Nambour ‘Tram’ will arrive a little late at its first stop. TramCo chair Greg “Rogo” Rogerson said it could take up to six months longer than first thought, or even a little more, to deliver a fully operational tram. “The original Gantt chart we compiled when we eventually knew all the design, engineering and compliance issues, had delivery at the end of 2024,” he said. “In reality, I don’t think it will be this early but I do think around July 2025 is fairly feasible.” Tramco has had to gingerly feel its way with construction of the tram, which has been specifically designed to run on the two-foot gauge, heritage listed, cane train tracks. Greg said TramCo was in discussion with Bradken Engineering, Innisfail, to nail down a price for the bogeys now that the final drawings and engineering for the tram bogeys had been signed off by Covey Associates Engineering and their Independent Competent Person, ADA Engineering, Melbourne. He said creator Russell Anderson, who had come up with the extraordinary tram design, had been instructed to collect present day costings on the laser cut,

Nambour Christmas Decoration Competition results are in and the winners of the people’s choice category is the Compass Institute Office  in C-Square off Currie Street. In the initiative, Nambour Chamber of Commerce, Nambour Tram and Nambour Retailers Group all joined forces under their I Am Nambour brand with working partner Sunshine Coast Council to bring the streets of the CBD alive with lights, decorations and sparkle.   “We are excited about putting a little extra sparkle into the Nambour CBD this holiday season, it’s been a big year for so many locals,” said Judge Ange Dunne. The businesses who registered to enter the competition were:  Bloomhill Op Shops – 97 Blackall Terrace. C21 Living Local – Shop 58, 52-64 Currie Street. The Compass Institute Inc – Shop 53 C Square, Currie Street. DownTown Nambour – 113 Currie Street. Fabric Cartel – 20-22 Queen Street. Purpose Real Estate – 42 Howard Street. Wabi Sabi Creations – 64 Currie Street. Hammond Optometry – 44 Lowe Street. Seven seas tattoo co – 29 Short Street. WINNERS Category: Best Decorated Shop Front Comments: We had two winners in this category as both businesses presented unique shopfront displays celebrating Christmas in a way that was so

Mayor Mark Jamieson and Sundale Community Foundation Chair Caroline Hutchinson present a $5000 cheque to Anglican Parish Nambour’s Friday Night Burgers coordinator Coral McVean, centre, part of the total of over $68,000 given by the foundation. by Janine Hill The Sundale Community Foundation has put its money where some hungry mouths are. The Foundation recently presented a grant of $5000 towards Friday Night Burgers, which has provided reliable meals for the homeless and needy in Nambour for more than two decades. Every Friday night, a team of volunteers gather at the Nambour Anglican Church to cook free hamburgers for members of the community who might struggle to get a decent feed. Coordinator Coral McVean said between 75 and 90 burgers were served up every Friday between 6pm and 7pm. Coral said the Anglican Church had hosted the weekly free feed for years. But the burger night’s origins began with another church. “It was started by a youth group at the Baptist Church in Nambour. They saw a need for the homeless to be given some assistance with a meal,” she said. “This was long before The Shack. They were very forward with their thinking.” The Friday night burger event has

Lyn Mills trains with Charlie Wetere. by Janine Hill BOXER Lyn Mills did not get a win when she flew to Melbourne for her first fight last month but the consolation prize was not too bad. Lyn, 71, went home with the record for being the oldest female boxer to fight in a competitive bout in Australia. “Unless someone else comes in who is older than me, I’ve got that,” she said. Lyn was beaten unanimously at Ferntree Gully on 25 November by Victoria’s Karen Watts, who at 62 had youth on her side. Until then, Lyn had only ever fought in an exhibition match at the PanPacific Masters and was approached to take on Karen, who had been unable to find anyone in her age group to fight. Lyn, who trains with Charlie Wetere at the OneHeart gym, Nambour, ramped up the running and dropped cake and biscuits to shed 9kg for the bout. Although Charlie had schooled her up for the fight, she found Karen difficult to match. “She’s got an unorthodox style,” Lyn said. “She was doing jabs but all over the place.” “I got on top of her in the last round but it was too

8 Ball Aitken and drummer Jon Coghill will entertain the crowd at Tramfest on Saturday December 9. Jon has only played one gig since Powderfinger’s finale in 2010.  Homecoming Beat  by Janine Hill A TWIST of fate will see Powderfinger drummer Jon Coghill play a rare gig in his hometown of Nambour this Saturday (December 9) with swamp-blues-rocker 8 Ball Aitken. Jon and 8 Ball have agreed to team up for the Tramfest Christmas Festival, a community event and fundraising for the Nambour trams project, in Mill Street from 4-9pm. The pairing came about after Jon found himself within arm’s length of TNTCo chair, former Sunshine Coast councillor, hot-plate ace Greg “Rogo” Rogerson at a Sunrise outdoor broadcast from Nambour on Father’s Day.  Jon, Sunrise weatherman Dan Anstey, and reality TV producer Dan Munday – all Nambour High students made good – had just been crowned Nambassadors on TV and Mr Rogerson had the sausages sizzling on the barbecue when his phone rang. “I had a pair of Ansell gloves on and was covered in grease from my armpits to the tips of my fingers when my phone rang in the back pocket of my Levis,” Rogo said. “I’d had

Nicole Hoffman: “I want to be a part of the regeneration of Nambour. I thought, ‘I know what I’m good at and I’ll give it a good go’.” by Janine Hill NICOLE Hoffman finds the hospitality business as irresistible as coffee drinkers do the aroma of fresh roast. After 17 years owning and operating cafes, Nicole sold out and took a break but two-and-a-half years down the track, has been drawn back into hospitality.  She will open Banksia Espresso, on the northern corner of Ann and Lowe Streets, Nambour, in December. If Nicole’s background in cafes is anything to go by, Banksia should be a resounding success. With her husband, she established the Café Envy at Cotton Tree and Mooloolaba. A resident of the Nambour area for 25 years, she thought it was the logical spot for her next venture. “I have always loved Nambour and always thought it would be a great spot for a café,” she said.  “I want to be a part of the regeneration of Nambour. I thought, ‘I know what I’m good at and I’ll give it a good go’. “I feel that there’s some traction in Nambour, there’s some quality businesses opening. I feel

Carl Reeves, left, has gone into business with Brendan “Rusty” Brooke in the Nambour barbershop Rusty Reeves. by Janine Hill DOWNTOWN Nambour is not where you would normally find someone who has coiffed the hair of Ed Sheeran, Pink or Kate Moss. Until now. Having opted out of glamour jobs and travel for family life, Carl Reeves has gone into business with a friend, Brendan “Rusty” Brooke in a Nambour barbershop. Rusty Reeves, a combination of both their names, opened six weeks ago in Currie Street, between McDonald’s and Price Street. Carl said both he and Rusty had been keen to do their own thing after being part of larger business operations. Having clocked up 30 years in the industry, Carl has worked for renowned hair brands, including as global art director for hair product name Kevin Murphy, and as a session stylist across fashion, music, TV and magazines.  Carl met Rusty after joining HMB Barbers to oversee 16 stores and spend more time with his family and less travelling. “He was one of the barbers that was working there. For me and him, it’s a dirty big industry,” Carl said.  “There’s a lot of young barbers coming through that