Thursday, December 9, 2010

Update - 9 December 2010

BAG NEWS ….


Late Night Shopping – Hope to see you all next Wednesday 15 December 2010 at the annual Mitchell Late Night Shopping. Be there for your chance to win $1500 in local shopping vouchers. Entry vouchers are available from participating businesses listed below – one entry voucher for every $10 spent. At the point of sale, shoppers can complete and lodge an entry form or drop their entries into the official collection point at the BAG/Landcare office. There is no limit to the amount of entries you can have. The competition will run from Monday 22 November 2010 right up until the draw on Wednesday 15 December 2010 at 7.30 pm. Following feedback received from last year, we are including additional prize draws of a $100 and a $50 local shopping voucher to be spent at any of the participating businesses. For the late night shopping evening we have Santa and lots of activities for the whole family. The impact of re-thinking purchasing decisions and choosing to buy locally provides a significant impact on the local economy and local employment.

BAG would like to take this opportunity to thank the following businesses who have offered their generous support toward this shop local campaign:

Poppy’s Boutique;
Mitchell Café;
Lemon Pie Gifts;
Mitchell Pharmacy;
Mitchell Bakery;
Mitchell Hardware & Plumbing;
Samios Trading Post;
Dobbins Foodworks;
Hotel Mitchell;
Mitchell Beauty Salon;
Rob Cornish Electrical;
Bulldog Bikes;
Hunters Store;
Lawson’s Butchery;
Landmark;
Hotel Richards;
Nutri-Lick;
Bp Service Station;
Tower Roadhouse;
Bridge Service Station;
Courthouse Hotel;
Mitchell Post Office (gift lines ONLY);
Mitchell Mini Mart;
Mitchell Tyre Centre;
Mitchell Auto Care;
Mitchell News & Casket;
Maranoa Arts Gateway;
South West Technics;
The School Hours Gallery;
Major Beauty.


Bottle Tree Bulletin – for members and supporters who are outside the region, or for local residents who may have misplaced their copy!, each edition of the Bottle Tree Bulletin is available for viewing and downloading from the council’s website at
http://www.maranoa.qld.gov.au/community/Bottle_Tree_Bulletin.shtml


Seniors Computer Training – Booringa Action Group will be running computer training for seniors (over 50’s) early in the new year. It is proposed to undertake the training as individual (one-on-one) training appointments to ensure that participants are able to obtain training specific to their current knowledge, skills and purpose. Through training appointments, participants will have the opportunity to ask and be shown ‘how to’ related to the specific IT tasks they want to do and develop. Each participant will receive a resource kit to be developed as a reference guide. Topics will cover a broad range of IT tasks, programs, shortcuts, how to’s, tips and tricks. The training will cost $5 per one hour appointment.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Diploma Training – If you would like to gain a Diploma qualification in Tourism or Hospitality it is not too late! This 10 month course consists of a combination of self paced workbooks, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL +), and group workshops. It’s lots of fun and can provide you with many skills and ideas to develop a new business or increase returns for existing businesses. Qualified and experienced facilitators travel from Brisbane every 2 months to provide an invaluable learning experience and generation of wonderful ideas. Please contact me if you would like any further information.



GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Maranoa Regional Council has produced a draft Regional Visitor Strategy which has been endorsed by Council for industry and community consultation. The document is obviously strategic in nature and as such annual action plans and budgets will be developed in line with the final Strategy adopted by Council. The Strategy spans a 5-year period and as a consequence some strategies will take some time to implement and there may be some transitional arrangements to work through before the full benefits of the Strategy are realised. In the Strategy, Council has identified five key roles for itself to support the tourism industry:
* Coordination of regional (Maranoa) marketing
* Supporting local organisations involved in the industry
* Maintenance and development of Council owned facilities
* Advocating major transport infrastructure development
* Regional industry research
Council now seek your comments (positive and/or negative) on the draft Strategy by COB Friday 11 February 2011. Please contact me if you would like to receive a copy of the draft strategy for input.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Update - 10 November 2010

BAG NEWS ….

A quick reminder that our BAG General Meeting is on tonight - 7.00 pm at the BAG Cottage, Ann Street, Mitchell. All welcome!


Maranoa Regional Council’s Community Plan & Local Plan – we have been advised that there has been a hold up with the release of the Maranoa Community Plan by a couple of weeks. Hence, the Mitchell Community Presentation will not be able to proceed tonight as previously advertised.


Christmas in the Park – Monday 6 December 2010. This is organised by a joint effort from Booringa Action Group and the Rotary Club of Mitchell. We are looking for members to assist with some of the work on the night – please contact me if you can help!


Photocopying – did you know Booringa Action Group provides a photocopying service to the community? We can do up to 10 pages FREE. Very competitive rates, with discounts for members!, are available for all you copying needs.


2011 Booringa Business Calendars – a long standing and successful tradition of Booringa Action Group is the Booringa Business Calendar. Next year’s calendars have been printed and will be distributed via Australia Post to all households in the Mitchell, Amby, Muckadilla, Mungallala and Morven areas before Christmas.


Booringa Action Group, with support from council and local businesses, will again be running a shop local campaign in the lead up to Christmas. The purpose of this campaign is to motivate residents, workers, community and sporting groups to spend money locally. This in turn will have following results:

• Local employment stability and / or employment generation
• Reduction in carbon footprints
• Reduced leakages from out of the Mitchell economy
• Increased economic multiplier effect
• Enhanced community spirit.

Look out for more information coming soon and thank you for your continued support of local businesses.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Update - 4 November 2010

BAG NEWS ….

The next BAG General Meeting will be held next Wednesday, 10 November 2010 - 7.00 pm at the BAG Cottage, Ann Street, Mitchell. All welcome!

The Booringa Action Group Annual Meeting held on 25 September 2010 was well attended, considering the wet weather. No election was required for this meeting, so the same committee remains in office for another 12 months. This committee is: Adam McEvoy (President), Kent Morris (Treasurer), Donna McCarrol, Gary Birkett, Kel Woodall, Wayne Dobbin. The committee is elected for a three year term and, as such, this is their final year. It would be timely for interested persons to consider a committee role with BAG, which current members have found very exciting and rewarding! Interested persons can come and join the fun now, to see what it’s all about!! Please contact Adam McEvoy on 4623 1141.

Bottle Tree Bulletin – we have received some very positive and encouraging feedback on the first edition! This is a result of the variety and amount of information supplied to us. Please keep this coming!! As this is a trial, we would encourage you all to provide us with some feedback, so that we can improve our service and provide this to council to ensure we are making the most of this publication.

Regional Groups get together – Booringa Action Group recently took part in a gathering of our regional community groups – Voice of Warroo, Advance Injune, Yuleba Development Group, Commerce Roma. The purpose of this meeting is to come together to share knowledge and challenges, and to discuss ways that we can work together to achieve regional outcomes. Mayor Robert Loughnan attended this meeting to provide some input from a council perspective.

Maranoa Regional Council’s Community Plan & Local Plan – a Mitchell Community Presentation will be held on Wednesday 10 November, 5.00pm – 6.00pm, at the Maranoa Regional Council Chambers, Mitchell.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Diploma Training
– there are still a few places left for subsidised Diploma qualifications for local Tourism and Hospitality workers. Let us help you design a training program that is real to your business needs - fun and motivational - but most of all, will allow you to take your business, just that One Step Further. To find out more about this opportunity please contact me via email bag.eo@bigpond.com or call 4623 7814. The training for the qualifications will be tailored to suit the needs of the individual and their workplace. This will involve a combination of RPL (recognition of prior learning), online self-paced workshops and workplace projects. This means there is complete flexibility; it is easy to do, with very little time taken from the workplace.

Dentist – a reminder that our new private dentist, Life Time Smiles Mitchell is OPEN for business. Call 1300 661 053 for an appointment.


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

DanceWest03 Annual Ballet Concert - the concert this year “I Wanna Dance Forever” will be held at Mitchell Shire Hall, 6 November 7pm. Tickets now on sale @ Poppy’s Boutique. Ticket price includes supper! Adults $15; Children $5.


Have you got skills and experience but need the 'piece of paper' to prove it? Are you looking for a career change, want to up-skill or re-enter the workforce? Do you want to know how you could turn your skills into a formal qualification? Skilling Solutions Queensland can help! Skilling Solutions Queensland is the Queensland Government's free training and career information service. A one-stop-shop for all your training and career solutions! It's so easy, it works like this... Our specially trained consultants can identify how your existing skills could be formally recognised towards a relevant qualification. We can then refer you to a network of contracted training organisations to undertake a formal assessment of your skills against the chosen qualification. The process is called recognition of prior learning, it's all about recognising the skills that you already have and obtaining a qualification in less time and at a reduced cost! AND, as a customer of Skilling Solutions Queensland, you may be eligible for a subsidy of up to $1000, depending on the qualification. Imagine how a qualification could open up your career options! The Skilling Solutions Van will be visiting Mitchell on 10 and 11 November 2010. Phone 1300 654 687 for more information.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Update - 20 September 2010

Where have we been, and what have we been doing!?!!?

BAG NEWS ….

We have been busy, and for those I have been speaking to over the last few weeks, you will know that we have just been flat out.

Congratulations to all involved on a fantastic Fire & Water Festival, with emphasis on the water!! My appreciation is extended to local businesses who got involved in the community spirit of the successful market day on Saturday.

Don’t forget our next meeting will be our AGM to be held in conjunction with a networking dinner. All members and prospective members are invited to a Booringa Action Group Networking Dinner on Saturday 25 September 2010, commencing at 6.45 pm at the Berkeley Restaurant. Previous community dinners have been well supported and we look forward to hosting another successful dinner where community members are provided the opportunity to share ideas for how we can ensure the continued growth and development of our town. Cost is $30. Please RSVP to me by 23 September 2010. Everyone welcome!

The first edition of the new Bottle Tree Bulletin is due out in October. We are all very excited about this project and we look forward to welcoming your comments and feedback!

Thank you all for your continued support! Membership renewals and new memberships have been overwhelming!


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Skills Formation Strategy – Booringa Action Group recently submitted a successful expression of interest to auspice a Tourism and Creative Arts skills formation strategy for the region. Skills formation strategies provide a framework for industries and communities to work with each other, the Queensland Government and other relevant stakeholders to analyse and address current and future workforce issues that may affect their future viability. The skills formation strategy approach seeks to gain an understanding of workforce issues holistically, recognising that effective skilling can only occur when planned as part of the broader workforce context and the future of the industry or community. Additionally, skills formation strategies focus on identifying issues common to an industry or community that are best addressed by their combined efforts or that cannot be addressed as an individual enterprise. To effectively support this approach, skills formation strategies facilitate the development of relationships and networks that together will identify the future workforce needs of industry or community and work to develop and action combined workforce strategies. If successful with our full application, a new 2 year local position will be created!

Child Care Centre – We had our deputation with the Department of Employment and Training Parliamentary Secretary, who was very supportive of looking for innovative ways to address the clear need. Although no outcomes [as yet] we are continuing to pursue this project with all of our forces.

Dentist – a reminder that our new private dentist, Life Time Smiles Mitchell is OPEN for business. Call 1300 661 053 for an appointment.

GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Warrego Highway upgrade (Roma-Mitchell) > Project Information Session > Mitchell Town - The Department of Transport and Main Roads is upgrading the Warrego Highway between Roma and Mitchell to allow type 2 road trains to travel closer to Roma and to improve safety and efficiency along the link. This project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments. The department is holding a project information session on Friday 24 September 2010 to give community members an opportunity to see the current plans for the first sections to be upgraded and provide important feedback prior to the finalisation of design plans. The information session will be held at the Great Artesian Spa Complex in Mitchell on Friday 24 September from 3-6pm. It is important to ‘have your say’ so please come and talk to the officers about the upgrade. You can contact the department’s Roma office on: Ph: 4622 951 or email:
roma.office@tmr.qld.gov.au.

Music Radio 102.1 Mitchell – Your local Mitchell radio station! Call Mark on 0410 687 600. Individuals and community groups can email Music Radio 102.1 with news on Mitchell and surrounding areas. Community events receive free promotion – email your details 6 weeks prior to the event to ensure good FREE coverage!
musicradio@matilda.net.au . Businesses may advertise for 6 weeks, 12 times a day for only $229.

Until next time! :-)


Cheers,
Sharyn.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Update - 8 July 2010

BAG NEWS ….

We have been advised this week that we were successful in our tender submission to produce the council’s new regional newsletter, the Bottle Tree Bulletin. This will be a major contract for BAG, and we will need community support to make this a success. The Bottle Tree Bulletin will be a regional publication containing pages for each of the main towns in the region, plus some pages for council information. There will be no advertising and no political content. It will be a monthly production distributed to all households in the Maranoa Regional Council area free of charge. This is a replacement for the Booringa Bulletin, which will end production when the new regional newsletter begins, in the very near future. Council have listened to our concerns regarding the loss of the Booringa Bulletin because of its value to our community, and many models of service delivery have been explored to achieve this final resolve.


The 26th Community Cabinet will be held in Roma on Sunday, 25 July 2010 and Mitchell on Monday, 26 July 2010. As with other community groups, BAG has been invited to share our ideas on issues and suggest actions to make our region a better place to live and work. A public forum will be held from 1.00 pm at the Roma Health and Fitness Centre, Bungil Street, Roma on Sunday, 25 July 2010. Everyone is invited to come along so their views can be heard. Formal deputations will be taken by Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Directors-General in Roma on Sunday and by Parliamentary Secretaries and Directors-General in Mitchell on Monday. BAG is proposing to seek formal deputations with the following Ministerial Portfolios:
• Education and Training - regarding the need for a child care centre in Mitchell;
• Main Roads - regarding exactly what is planned for our highway;
• Natural Resources, Mines & Energy - regarding the issues of sand in the weir;
• Primary Industries, Fisheries, and Rural & Regional Queensland - regarding general issues impacting on the development of our community.
If you have any information to add to our deputations or you would like to discuss these issues, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.


Our Business & Community Networking Breakfast held on the deck at the Great Artesian Spa Complex on Wednesday 23 June 2010 was a great success……



Congratulations to

Donna McCarrol,


Adam McEvoy,


Lachlan Garrett,


Tilly Butler-Woodall,


Kev Wolski,


Emma Spooner,

Jenny Hockey,

and Kent Morris

who were all presented with a Certificate of Attainment in Manage Projects, following their successful assessment as part of the community workshops undertaken over the last few months.

Robyn Keenan from Queensland Tourism Industry Council shared with us some big issues for a changing world and how they relate to tourism and business. We have a growing population; the demographic composition will change and therefore our resources will need to increase. There will be a need for more infrastructure as well as more products and skills. Opportunities will arise as people are looking for more choices. There is a change toward tribal thinking; our social structures are being redefined: work, family, ‘home’. There is now a trend towards the ‘lifelong nomads’ as we have greater mobility. For tourism to successfully address this issue, we need a collective sense of ‘being part of it’. We also need to engage on the basis of changed values and changed modes of communication. We will also be affected by the issue of environmental constraints; natural resources will be more scarce and the prices for resources/energy will rise. ‘Clean’, ‘pure’, ‘pristine’, ‘non-crowded’ will be high-value attributes! New tourist segments are evolving, QTIC have identified these as: Active Explorers – Holidays where they can be challenged and feel alive; Stylish Travellers – Holidays where they can stand out from the crowd, and appreciate and enjoy the finer things in life; Self Discoverers – Holidays where they can enrich their mind and nourish their body; Unwinders – Holidays where they can reflect and recharge at their own pace; Connectors – Holidays where they can bond with family and friends; Social Fun-seekers – Holidays where they can share good times with friends, new and old.

Penny Delfs, from Custom Built Profits, delivered a clear message on the importance of first impressions! She also spoke about customer service, and its importance for achieving a competitive advantage for your business. As accredited Aussie Host providers, BAG can deliver workshops on customer service to you and your employees.

One Step Further CEO, Jo Smith, provided attendees with a learning plan, showing them just how easy it is for existing workers to gain a Diploma in Tourism or Hospitality! Jo has developed a system of assessment that delivers tangible results from the learnings, is able to be delivered locally, and is designed to limit the amount of time required to be spent away from the workplace.

My sincere thanks to Sue for a wonderful menu, and to Di and the spa complex for a great venue. We also thank the Maranoa Health Enhancement Program for their contribution to this event.


Membership renewals are currently being distributed. For all new and renewing members, we have decided to extend the offer of free gifts until the end of July, so please consider joining to show your support for your community. I would welcome contact from anyone considering joining and requiring more information.


Invoices for the 2011 Booringa Business Calendar have also been distributed. If your business has not received one and you would like to advertise on next year’s calendar, please contact me urgently!


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Small Business Online (SBO) Program - Did you know? Over 12 million Australians accessed the internet in 2008-2009 and 64% used the internet to purchase goods or services. Small business can no longer ignore this change in consumer behaviour, every day more and more consumers are doing business online. While over 86% of businesses are connected to the internet only 36% have a website with a quarter believing they don’t use it well enough to get a tangible dollar benefit. Industry expert, Toowoomba IT Solutions has developed the Work Smarter. Go Online. training course as part of the Federal Governments $14M Small Business Online Program. The course will help small business work smarter by being online and take full advantage of the rollout of the National Broadband Network. The following courses are being held in Roma. Seminar 1 – The Internet and Your business. 25 August 2010. Cost – FREE. Seminar 2 – The Power of Website Marketing. 25 August 2010. Cost – FREE. Workshop 1 – Build your website and build business. 26 August 2010. Cost - $55. Workshop 2 – Making your website work harder – adding e-commerce to your new website. 27 August 2010. Cost - $55. For more information, program dates and registration details visit www.it-solutions.com.au or call 07 4642 1480.

Warrego Highway upgrade (Roma-Mitchell) - The Amby upgrade involves rebuilding almost six kilometres of the highway west of Amby and making some important safety and efficiency improvements through town. Construction has now started and will continue for the next 10 months, weather permitting. Roadworks will commence on Queen Street (Warrego Highway) and continue west to the Bongo railway siding over the next few months. Take care and remember, ‘Please slow down — roadwork safety is your responsibility too’. There is still ample parking available in Amby for short and longer term stays in town. Road users are advised that short delays of up to five minutes may occur on this section of the Warrego Highway during construction. Traffic lights will also be used during the construction period.

Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

If you’ve missed an update, please visit http://booringaactiongroup..blogspot.com


Dentist – a reminder that our new private dentist, Life Time Smiles Mitchell is now OPEN for business. Call 1300 661 053 for an appointment.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Update - 17 June 2010

BAG NEWS ….

A Business & Community Networking Breakfast will be held on the deck at the Great Artesian Spa Complex on Wednesday 23 June 2010 from 7.00 am to 9.00 am. Cost is $10.00 per person. RSVP by 20 April 2010 to me on phone 07 4623 7814 or email bag.eo@bigpond.com. This event will launch a new training strategy for delivering nationally accredited diploma level training within the region. Speakers arranged for the breakfast are Robyn Keenan, Skills Link Manager from Queensland Tourism Industry Council and Jo Smith, One Step Further (RTO). Please join us to find out about current opportunities for business training and tourism in Mitchell. Free gift packs! On the menu is: Kedgeree; Egg Cocotte; Swedish Style Bubble and Squeak; Pork, Apple and Sage Chipolatas; Creamed Spinach; Chorizo and Beans; Maple Syrup Shortcut Bacon; Mushrooms and Thyme Buttered Muffins; and Homemade Granola Yoghurt and Dried Fruit Compote.

Governance Workshop – the final workshop in our series of community workshops will be on Governance and Meeting Procedures. This will be held on Tuesday 22 June 2010, 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm at the BAG/Landcare office. This is a free workshop and all community members are welcome to attend. Please contact me to register.

Funded Diplomas – BAG has been working with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and service providers to enable the subsidised delivery of Diploma qualifications for local Tourism and Hospitality workers. The training for the qualifications outlined below will be tailored to suit the needs of the individual and their workplace. You will learn, or enhance on, areas such as:
• People Management: team performance, coaching, industrial relations skills;
• Customer Service and Sales skills: how to exceed every customer’s expectation and turn this into greater sales and increased bottom line;
• Financial Management: how to build a budget then manage it to suit your business;
• Marketing: how to best market your products then build on the return business.
These areas of study are just to name a few. To find out more about this opportunity please come along to our breakfast!

Membership is continuing to increase! JOIN NOW!! – New or renewing members who pay their membership before the end of June will receive a free gift! Take a look at our new window display for what you could get!


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Dentist – a reminder that our new private dentist, Life Time Smiles Mitchell is now OPEN for business. Call 1300 661 053 for an appointment.


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Public Awareness Alcoholics Anonymous – Al-Anon participation. 7.30 pm – 9.00 pm, Tuesday 22 June 2010, at the shire hall. A light supper will be provided. Please phone 4623 7298 for more information. Everyone welcome!


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Update - 17 May 2010

Did you miss me? The last few weeks have been amazingly busy, and I’m not sure it’s looking any better for the next few weeks!!

BAG NEWS ….

New Members – a big welcome to the 11 new members who have joined BAG recently. Membership figures are steadily growing and we see this as a positive indication of support for the work we are doing for the community. Thank you!



Governance Workshop – the final workshop in our series of community workshops will be on Governance and Meeting Procedures. This will be held on Tuesday 22 June 2010, 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm at the BAG/Landcare office. This is a free workshop and all community members are welcome to attend. Please contact me to register.

Funded Diplomas – BAG has been working with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and service providers to enable the subsidised delivery of Diploma qualifications for local Tourism and Hospitality workers. This is a fantastic opportunity for the region as it is often difficult to undertake training such as this without the need for travel. The training for the qualifications outlined below will be tailored to suit the needs of the individual and their workplace. This will involve a combination of RPL (recognition of prior learning), online self-paced workshops and workplace projects. This means there is complete flexibility; it is easy to do, with very little time taken from the workplace. You will learn, or enhance on, areas such as:
• People Management: team performance, coaching, industrial relations skills;
• Customer Service and Sales skills: how to exceed every customer’s expectation and turn this into greater sales and increased bottom line;
• Financial Management: how to build a budget then manage it to suit your business;
• Marketing: how to best market your products then build on the return business.
These areas of study are just to name a few. Let us help you design a training program that is real to your business needs - fun and motivational - but most of all, will allow you to take your business, just that One Step Further. To find out more about this opportunity please contact me via email bag.eo@bigpond.com or call 4623 7814.

To officially launch our training/tourism initiative we will be hosting a Business Breakfast on Wednesday 23 June 2010. Put this date in your diaries and I will forward further information as it becomes available. It is intended to host a tour of our local tourism attractions for the Queensland Tourism Industry Council whilst they are here, so if you have any ideas of where we could go and what we could do, please let me know!

General Meeting – Our April General Meeting saw attendance up slightly. Special guests in attendance were councillors Jeff Watson and Tom Hartley and also MRC Director Community Service, Tony Kline. Tony provided an update on council activities, including a changed focus for council in the way they look to support and nurture communities to address identified needs that are not commercially viable due to size of community/population and location. This was welcome news which we hope means support for Mitchell in its ongoing work towards the establishment of a Child Care Centre. It also means a reprieve for the Retirement Village.



Our June General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010, 7.00 pm at the BAG cottage. All welcome!

JOIN NOW!! – New or renewing members who pay their membership before the end of June will receive a free gift! Please contact me for more information.

Management Committee Role – the BAG Management Committee has responsibility for the strategic direction as well as the day to day operation of BAG. They are a committed group of community members who are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to take our group forward. A large part of this is looking to source new business ideas to help make our organisation self funded, so that we can continue to employ staff and continue growing.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Dentist – woohoo! Life Time Smiles Mitchell is now OPEN. First appointments will be from Thursday, 27 May 2010. Call to secure your dental appointment today! Phone 1300 661 053. As comprehensive care dentists, Life Time Smiles services include: Toothache appointments daily; Oral examinations; Clean and fluoride; Crown & bridges; CEREC; Fillings; Root canal; and Extractions. Call in and see them today at the Mitchell Hospital, 95 Ann Street, Mitchell.

Sand/Weir – we have been approached by a local sand supplier who is interested in purchasing some of our lovely Mitchell sand….. but we need a way to get it out! Do you have some ideas or contacts in this field? Please contact me to discuss further.


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

MITCHELL STATE SCHOOL IS RECYCLING! WANTED: Aluminium Cans; Batteries - car, motorbike, truck; All things copper (electrical wire); All things brass; Anything Aluminium; Old Radiators. This Recycling Project is supporting the update of equipment in the school’s Manual Arts department and has the full support and assistance of the P&C. Pick up for large quantities available. Please contact the school on 4623 8888 for further information or assistance - ask for ANDREW!

The Biological Farmers of Australia & Seasol proudly present Cunnamulla Organic Roadshow hosted by the Paroo Shire Council. Thursday 20 May 2010; 8.30am – 5.00pm at the Cunnamulla Showgrounds, Broad Street, Cunnamulla. Please RSVP as soon as possible to Ph: 07 3350 5716 ext 232 or Email: events@bfa.com.au / or go to www.bfa.com.au to download booking form. Included on the Agenda is: Entering the organic beef market; Peter Gall (Organic Meat Company); Organic standards and certification; Terry Elliot (Auditor ACO); Biological Inputs – the benefits of kelp; Rick Keen (Seasol) & Mike Polymiadis (Elders); Understanding the organic wool market: Stuart MacKenzie (Plevna Downs); Understanding the organic lamb market; Toby Scales (Cleavers); Farm Tour; brothers Donald and Geoff Dunsdon provide a tour of their organic fat lamb operation; Managing healthy soils for viable agriculture; Neil Judd (Agronomist; CEO, South West NRM); Challenges and opportunities facing farmers worldwide today; Clive Wylie (Clive and Erika Wylie Partnership); Exporting organic beef to Asia and the US; Peter Schmidt (OBE Beef) Open forum; facilitated by Doug Haas (BFA Chairman). Roadshows are open to all interested in seeking the latest information on biological production systems and organic/biodynamic food and farming. The event is an excellent opportunity for those who want to make key contacts and network with industry members and is an opportunity to view trade displays of companies supplying organic “allowed inputs” and other products/services. Consisting of brief and practical talks, regardless of your type of business, you will gain an insight into biological farming systems and the entire organic supply chain.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Update - 22 March 2010

BAG NEWS ….

Show Schedule – The finishing touches are being made to the 2010 Mitchell Show Schedule! These will be available at the office later in the week.

The next BAG General Meeting will be held on 14 April 2010, 7.00 pm at the BAG cottage in Ann Street. Everyone is welcome.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Community Bus – As council is no longer hiring its bus to community groups, it has been identified the need for a community owned bus for use by all community groups. Helen Brindley has taken on the role of working party co-ordinator for this project. If you would like to join this working party, or want to provide details of when you/your group would make use of a community bus please contact Helen at bindies@activ8.net.au ... Also, if you have some ideas as to how this may be funded/supported long term, Helen would love to hear these!!


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Mitchell Responsible Serving of Alcohol Course – So what do you do when an intoxicated 18 year old wants another beer – and you’re the one behind the bar? What do you say to diffuse what could become an awkward situation? The Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course is a great way o learn how to deal with these and other tricky situations. They run for four hours and provide the knowledge and awareness necessary to serve liquor responsibly. Successful participants receive a Liquor Licensing industry recognised RSA certificate. Benefits include: Greater awareness of legal liabilities; Increased knowledge of alcohol and its effects; A safer environment for servers and patrons; Assists clubs to achieve Good Sports accreditation. Course Details: Tuesday 25 May 2010, 5.30 pm, at the Maranoa Regional Council, Mitchell Office (old Council Chambers). Cost is $45 for Good Sports club members and $75 for non-members. To book, please contact Good Sports Project Officer Justine Miller on 0400 726 652 or email goodsports_southwest@live.com.au. Payment must be received prior to course date to secure your spot!

Flood Assistance – The Department of Communities are conducting outreach services in the Mitchell and Dunkeld areas over the next few days. Affected people can register for: financial assistance; personal support; counselling services; specialist services; etc. by using 1800 173 349. Please keep in mind that this assistance is available for all affected residents of the Maranoa including primary producers.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Update - 4 March 2010

BAG NEWS ….

Community Workshops – A great first workshop on Communication was held on Monday night, but due to the deluge later that evening, we cancelled the Tuesday workshop. We covered a great range of topics, including how to frame your conversations for maximum impact, as well as NLP – Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP explores the relationships between how we think (neuro), how we communicate (linguistic) and our patterns of behaviour and emotion (programmes)). These workshops have proved beneficial to participants and are most entertaining. Our next workshop on Governance and Meeting Procedures will be held on Monday 19 April 2010, 6.00 - 9.00 pm at the BAG/Landcare office. Snacks and dinner (finger foods) will be provided. Please contact me to register for this workshop.

The next BAG General Meeting will be held on 14 April 2010, 7pm at the BAG cottage in Ann Street. Everyone is welcome.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Dentist – Good news this week, following a telephone hook up a start date has been set. We are waiting on confirmation to start advertising this date and for details on how to make appointments!!

Website – Members have been working in the background lately to put together a BAG website. Some further work is needed on this before it is ready for viewing …. I will keep you updated. If you have any great flood photos, please email these through to me and they can be included on the website!!

Sand/Weir - Our Sand Working Party Co-ordinator, Tom, is looking for some photographs of the Neil Turner Weir in its early years, when it was a full and active water playground. Please email or bring in to the office (for scanning) as many photos as you have.


GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Shave for a Cure – to support the Leukaemia Foundation, we are being shaved on Saturday, 6 March 2010 at 6.00 PM at The Rock, Hotel Richards. All donations can be made online, go to shave for a cure and search for our team – The Rock. There is live entertainment that night, a singer is coming out from Bris Vegas – Fina. Going under the razor are: Katie Byrne, Lynne Smith and THE DON, Kate Field. Hope to see you there!
Visit the team page direct - http://my.imisfriendraising.com.au/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=44143&langPref=en-CA

The Mitchell RSL & Combined Sports Club is seeking the services of a highly motivated and enthusiastic person to fill the position of Sports Club Co-ordinator at the Mitchell RSL & Combined Sports Complex, Mitchell. The successful incumbent must be able to manage and co-ordinate the functioning and daily operation of the Mitchell RSL & Combined Sports Club Complex. Flexibility of working hours will also be essential. Applicants are required to specifically address each of the selection criteria listed in the Position Description. Requests for a position description or any further enquiries should be directed to: The Secretary/Treasurer, Mitchell RSL & Combined Sports Club, PO Box 42, Mitchell Qld 4465 or phone 4624 6905. Applications close Monday, 8 March 2010.

Flood Assistance – The Department of Communities will commence outreach services in Roma today, as well as establishing a Community Recovery Coordination/Information Centre. This ‘Centre’ (one-stop-assistance/information-shop) will be located at the Ernest Brock Room of the Roma Cultural Centre, Bungil Street, Roma from 1 PM Thursday 4 March 2010. It is anticipated that the Centre will be in operation until 17 March 2010. Affected people can register at the Centre for: financial assistance; personal support; counselling services; specialist services; etc. After Thursday, the Centre will operate from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM every day through to the 17th March (including weekends). People can also register for the assistance by using 1800 173349 particularly if they can not make it to Roma. Please keep in mind that this assistance is available for all affected residents of the Maranoa including primary producers.


Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Update - 16 February 2010

BAG NEWS ….

Congratulations to our 2009 Christmas Light competition winners:
Best Residential Kerslake Family
Best Commercial Mitchell Café
Best Tree Marlene Harris
People’s Choice Mitchell Auto Care.

Community Workshops – Last week we had our 3rd community workshop, this one was on Time Management. The series of workshops being delivered are designed for community members who are actively involved in not for profit community groups who want to further develop their skills to be effective committee members, wish to see the continued development and growth of the Booringa community, and want to seek new opportunities for personal development. We had a new participant join last week, so it is not too late if you would still like to participate. All workshop participants will receive a resource kit full of practical resources for use in their community groups. You may choose to participate in one, some or all of the workshops. Participants who complete all 5 workshops will be awarded a Statement of Attainment for the accredited training competency BSBPMG510A Manage Projects. Catch up is possible! These workshops are free for community members. The development and delivery of this program has been made available by the State Department of Employment, Economic Development and innovation through the Blueprint for the Bush program. Please contact me if you would like to register for any of these workshops. Coming up is Workshop 4 – Communication, Monday 1 March 2010 and Tuesday 2 March 2010 - 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm …. Covers communication styles, communicating for change as well as practical advice for communicating with the media. Also includes tips for email communication and writing newsletters. Workshop 5 – Meeting procedures / Governance, mid-April (dates to be confirmed). Tips and ideas to ensure more productive and quicker meetings. Also covers the essentials for good governance.

Aussie Host – The Toowoomba and Golden West Tourism have approached us to assist with delivering customer service training in the region. This would be a fantastic opportunity to promote the Aussie Host program to a wider audience.

BAG’s current organisational structure allows for members to become involved in their project of interest (working party). To become a working party member, there is no requirement to attend our General Meetings – unless of course you want to! We understand that everyone is busy, and that they don’t want to be at meetings which are of little interest to them. We are all about focussing members’ energies to achieve tangible results. Members contribute in different ways and we value and appreciate everyone’s ongoing support. Welcome to all new members who have joined in the past few weeks.


BAG PROJECT UPDATES ………

Dentist – More delays! I’m sorry to advise that our most recent contact with the private dentist has their new anticipated start date as late March, early April. Many obstacles beyond our control have contributed to this delay, but they are still very keen and progress is happening. BAG and the dentist collaborated recently to submit a funding application to refurbish the old doctors surgery in the main street (owned by Queensland Health) for use as a dental surgery.

Child Care Centre – Consistent efforts from Jayne McLean sees some progress with this project. Jayne’s strategic and methodical processes ensures a solid foundation. Jayne is arranging for a building certifier/architect to come and inspect the old kindy building so that plans can be drawn up to determine the needs for certification as a child care centre and so that quotes for building works can be obtained. This will be essential to the progress of this project. Furthermore, details have been provided to council to put forward a proposed project under the Sustainable Resource Communities Initiative for the refurbishment of the old Kindergarten to meet current standards for a Child Care Centre. The Department of Employment and Training, Office of Early Childhood Education and Care contacted BAG today requesting updated figures to continue lobbying for Mitchell to be considered under the Unique Solutions program for assistance to establish a kindergarten. Although our aim is for Child Care, we would be very willing to collaborate with the Department of Employment and Training for funding assistance.

Sand / Weir – Some information has been forthcoming with regards to the tests carried out previously on the sand. With this information we have begun a proactive approach to stakeholders to advise them of the availability of our sand, to initiate dialogue of possible scenarios for its extraction.

GENERAL COMMUNITY INFORMATION ………

Maranoa’s Got Talent – Nominations free & now open. 6-25 year olds. Get a performance together and nominate to showcase your talent as an individual or as a group, whether it be singing, dancing, playing an instrument, magic, acting, comedy or more. $1000 in prize money up for grabs for the best performances. Nominations close 5.00 pm Wednesday 17 February 2010. Mitchell Auditions: Tuesday 2 March 2010; 4 – 6 pm at the Shire Hall. Final will be held on Saturday 13 March 2010 in Roma. Nomination forms are available from the council office or at http://www.maranoa.qld.gov.au/community/youth.shtml

LAST CHANCE FOR MITCHELL EMERGENCY SERVICES CADET PROGRAM - Emergency Management Queensland has scheduled a final community meeting for Monday 22nd February 2009 in an attempt to gather community support in order to reactivate the Emergency Services Cadet Program in the Mitchell Community. The group has been inactive from November 2008 after a number of key Adult Member Positions became vacant. Several community meetings have been held with a very limited response to date. As outlined in departmental policy, should there be insufficient support in place in order to keep a group active, and all reasonable avenues to maintain the active status of the group have been investigated, the group is to be disbanded. Unfortunately, the Mitchell Emergency Services Cadet Group will be disbanded should there not be adequate support identified at the scheduled meeting in order to reactivate the group. Community Meeting; Monday 22 February 2010, 5.30 pm; Council Meeting Room, Maranoa Regional Council - Mitchell Office. Everyone welcome and encouraged to attend - past Adult Members, past Cadets, Parents & community members. For further information please contact Jay Dobbin 4616 1531.

Until next time! :-)

Cheers,
Sharyn.

Update - 18 December 2009

BAG NEWS ….

What a great crowd for Wednesday night’s Mitchell late night shopping!! Congratulations to Peter and Anna Cross, the lucky winners of the $1400 worth of local shopping vouchers. Each of the 28 participating businesses have provided a $50 gift voucher for this prize. Sincere thanks to everyone for their support of local businesses and this initiative. We have learnt a lot from this year’s campaign, so watch out next year which is sure to be even bigger and better!! $98,000 worth of vouchers were printed over the 4 weeks of the campaign …. An indication of the huge impact shopping local can have for our local economy and local jobs!

Don’t forget to get your nominations in for the Christmas Lights competition …. Entries close TODAY. People’s Choice voting closes on Monday.
Consumer & Business Survey - Help us to define what’s important to Australians. Have you had some great experiences of Customer Service in Australia? Or do you generally find the level of Customer Service in Australia to be frustrating? We want to know about your Customer Service Experiences in Australia both Business to Business AND Business to Consumer. We want to know what areas you rate highly, what areas you rate poorly and we want to hear about some of your experiences of dealing with Australian businesses. The survey will only take 5-10 minutes of your time and will help us to define what’s important to Australians and is online until the end of 2009. Results will be published on the AussieHost website in February 2010 and will provide very useful insights for your business!
CLICK HERE to start survey.
The BAG committee would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The BAG office will be closed from 23 December 2009 until 25 January 2010.

Until next year!

Cheers,
Sharyn.