SE Queensland Extreme short term and long term Weather Forecast for Bribie Island, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast regions.
This is a warning and not an imminent threat. Further updates will be provided as to the progress of this extreme weather event.
Extremely turbulent atmospheric conditions are going to develop later next week and the week after for southern Queensland. A heavy prolonged rainfall event with falls of over 150mm – 300mm + is expected to develop over the southern Queensland Coast and inland areas from about Friday(07/02/2020) through to Sun or Mon the following week.
Areas from about Bundaberg to the Gold Coast and further south are expected to be affected. An extremely moist onshore NE airflow will develop and this will combine with a deep upper-level trough that will develop later this week coming from the west.
Taken from Windy.com
As the moist NE airflow interacts with the upper low, heavy to extreme rainfall may develop along the coast and over the D’Aguilar ranges, Taylor Ranges and the Gold Coast hinterland areas, west of the coast, which will feed off the heavy moisture being brought in from the NE airflow.
We can expect falls of at least 100mm+ in a worst-case scenario and a best-case scenario falls of extreme, constant and torrential rainfall in excess of 500mm+.
In some cases, this rain may be drought-breaking for certain areas. As always this forecast is dependant on certain environmental elements coming into play and is not a certainty but is highly probable.
For the next few days around SE Queensland however, we can expect to see some ongoing onshore shower activity and thunderstorms develop from about Monday night onwards.
Remember if it’s flooded, forget it.
For more information refer to these weather forecast services
The Bribie Island RSL has secured one of this country’s most in-demand comedians. Comedy Royalty, Fiona O’Loughlin! As well as being a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, Fiona O’Loughlin is an accomplished writer, TV presenter and Media Personality. Most of you will remember she recently appeared in the 2018 Network Ten Program “I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here” and won the title of Queen of the Jungle.
She has also appeared on ‘Hughesy We Have A Problem’(Network Ten), ‘Sunrise’ (Network 7), ‘Good News Week’ (Network Ten), ‘Spicks and Specks’ (ABC), ‘Dirty Laundry’ (ABC), ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ (Nine) as well as Network 10’s inaugural Melbourne International Comedy Festival All- Stars Gala countless times. Most recently, the award-winning national documentary series Australian Story filmed an episode on Fiona, which rated over 1.3 million viewers.
Fiona performs to packed houses in venues and festivals across the globe. Winner of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s (MICF) Best Newcomer Award in 2001, and in 2006 she took home the coveted MICF Piece of Wood, an award for funniest show as voted for by other comedians. Fiona has also been awarded Adelaide Comedy’s Best Visiting Comedian award.
Fiona has also taken her unique story-based comedy to LA headlining the world-renowned Improv Comedy Club. In addition to repeating seasons in Hong Kong, performing at Edinburgh Fringe (the world’s largest Arts Festival) Montreal’s prestigious invitation-only Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and the UK’s oldest, Leicester Comedy Festival. In recent years Fiona has overcome a well-documented ‘battle with the bottle’.
This, like the other aspects of her life, has become ‘material’ for her stand-up. And Fiona is even funnier sober. My advice would be to book your tickets now to avoid disappointment as with a 2-course meal included in the ticket price, $79 is steal for a great night out with fun, food and laughter. This lady will have you in stitches!
As most of you are aware Jazmin Abraham suffered a massive brain bleed on 13th November 2019. This resulted in stroke-like symptoms with the right side of her body being paralysed.
She was put in an induced coma and on the ventilator to let her brain recover for two weeks, they then reduced the sedating medication to try and wake her up, no one knew what deficits she would have out of this. Slowly she woke up over the next week, she couldn’t speak or communicate and wasn’t able to move her right side and we didn’t know if this was permanent or not so the future was unclear.
Within the next two weeks we started to see her raise her eyebrows at her siblings, smile, laugh and try to speak, words were still not coming out which caused some frustration. With physio, she started to slowly move her right side and surprising all of us when she was getting physio on her leg, she spontaneously moved her right arm.
Over the next few weeks, she had built up so much strength in her arms and legs that she can now walk with the support of an AFO (splint) and a crutch, only using a wheelchair for long distances or when she is tired. Her speech is slowly improving but it’s only at 50% as a lot of stuff she refers to as ‘thing’.
She can understand everything and can write most words, but there is still a blockage from the brain to her mouth. Jaz is hoping to return to her love of cadets but not at full capacity like she once was. We will be there, however on their first night back on 31st January. Jaz won’t be returning to school for a while yet.
After 10 weeks (as of 22nd January) Jaz is now in Day hospital where she stays with mum Dani at Ronald McDonald House. She attends the hospital for therapy appointments and has been about to go home for a night on weekends. Thank you, everyone, for your love and support to Jaz and her family.
The Bribie Island and surrounding communities have been reaching out to help those affected by the horrific bushfires and our countries ongoing drought. From young kids doing it on their own, to our local business, everybody is keen to pitch in and help. So, as a community lets rally behind these fundraisers to support the people and animals affected by devastating bushfires and droughts.
ALY, ARTIST GIFT FOR THE ANIMALS
Aly Grahame is one of the loveliest women I have been fortunate to meet since moving to the Island. Aly herself has only been a resident for the past 3 years but in that time has supported the locals by donating her beautiful paintings to be sold or raffled for various fundraisers.
Aly has been painting since she was a teenager, self-taught with a passion for creating stunning artworks. Aly is a very busy lady. She paints in her spare time as she also works at Goodwin Family Medical Centre and has also done a few small paintings for the patients there.
Aly has a huge heart and has a love for animals which lead her to personally taking on 2 rescue dogs. As you can imagine, the bushfires have devastated animal lover Aly, so this is why she is donating one of her artworks to be raffled off and all proceeds to go to the National Bushfire Appeal, RSPCA.
The tickets are available at Woorim’s Newsagency $2 each, or 3 for $5, or 6 for $10. We would love to see everyone get behind Aly and support her in her fundraising efforts. Good on you Aly!!
Bribie Gleemen & Titanic Musical Company Inc
Founded in 2001 The Bribie Gleemen has become a highly regarded Gentlemen Songsters Choir meeting weekly for rehearsals, singing both past and recent songs across a range of formats. Over the years we have undertaken close to 400 concert performances for various organisations and associations.
As a “not for profit’ group we have donated to many charities and annually hold a couple of large public concerts with a major part of the proceeds going to local charities.
Our first annual concert for 2019 was on an Irish theme in April at the Recreation Hall on Bribie Island and was attended by over 150 persons, we collected close to $2,000 for local charities.
Our second annual concert for 2019 at the Recreation Hall in October under our Musical Director Trevor Vincent was a great success and also drew a very healthy audience.
As a result, we were able to give a cheque to Toc H Bribie Island to help them in their quest to bring several young people from the hard-hit rural areas to Bribie for a holiday.
Also, we were part of the Combined Choirs Concert on Sunday 8 December when we joined forces with three other local choirs to provide carols and Christmas songs to a large audience.
That concert was able to contribute $2,700.00 for local respite support services.
Our major work is undertaken across the care, lifestyle and health sectors where we will typically undertake a one hour concert for a client and seek to recover our costs.
The range of clients we have entertained include Sunnymeade Park Managed Estate, The Village Redcliffe, Boulton Clark, Church of Christ, Bribie Bowls Club, Uniting Church, Regis Group, Anglican Church, Golden Age Respite, RSL Care, Seasons Group, St Pauls Lutheran, Embracia, Pacific Harbour G & CC, Rotary and Probus.
TheMagic Of Makayli
Makayli is a 12 yr. old lovely young lady who is devastated by the fires that have been raging in our country and has decided to try to help out by raising money for those affected.
And this is how it all came about. Makayli has been sewing ever since requiring surgery after a netball injury early last year. Her mum Cherie thought this would be a good distraction for her to relieve the boredom. Makayli started with making scrunchies (hair accessories) and she would post them on her Instagram page as well as selling them to the kids at school.
She then expanded her skills and started making lavender bags, heat packs, crayon booklets, tissue covers and anxiety hearts for kids nervous about starting school or going through a tough time. Makayli was then approached by Blonde & Beyond a local Bribie Island hairdressers to display and sell her scrunchies in their salon.
When the bush fires started she wanted to donate and thought the best way to do that was to have a pop-up stall, selling all her handmade items with 50% being donated. Unfortunately due to the bad weather she only raised $105 for her chosen charity, Wires.
She’s also donating 50% of her latest stall which was held at the Bribie Island Cinema for ladies night on Thursday 23rd. She’s also going to keep contributing 50% of any sales until the end of February.
So let’s also get behind this beautiful young lady and help her with her dream of raising as much as she can to help our fire victims get their lives back on track. Every little bit helps!!!
We need to say Thank you to our local Rural FireBrigade, and every other Fire Brigage in our country. One way we can do this is to support our local Fire Brigade which needs funds to alter their station so that we can house a new truck.
Come to our luncheon, and all moneys raised at this function will go to support the Toorbul Station. Bookings will be necessary. (by 12 Feb.) $25 pp. Great lunch, raffles to win. PH: 07 5429 2310, 0427 988 515,0447 131 234
Abby Museum Fire Relief
Abbey Hall are holding a bushfire relief fundraising dinner on 8th Feb where 100% of profits will be donated to a small town called Genoa, on the NSW/ Victoria border who lost everything.
It will be a wonderful night called ‘A Crusader’s Journey’ and we have a fantastic award-winning chef named Robert Van Buerle to create an incredible menu for the evening. It follows the Crusaders route and is reflected in the dishes.
The menu will be suitable for vegetarians but not vegan. There is also chicken, lamb and beef on the menu. We will be including some drinks in the package – house wine and beer which we have just had donated, and soft drinks. The local businesses have been very supportive with donations to help the event. There will also be a bar with a selection of drinks for sale – no spirits.
The entertainment is provided by the re-enactors who are donating their time and includes Gregorian “monks” chanting, belly dancers, Knights Templar, Saracens and other bits and pieces that are still coming together.
are helping support our injured animals by taking donations of either money or you can buy the medications and bandages (pictured) and they will pass that along to the wildlife carers that are fast running out of supplies. Please give your support to help these guys out.
Sunbuster Caravans aim is to bring a little hope back into the lives of our fellow Australians who have lost so much and been placed in a hopeless situation.
Sunbuster Caravans, cannot begin to imagine what these families are going through physically, emotionally and financially, and hope that their small gesture of placing them in temporary accommodation on their own land, may give them a little hope to start rebuilding their lives WE NEED YOU TO HELP US ASSIST AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES WHO NEED TO START REBUILDING THEIR LIVES.
SUNBUSTER CARAVANS PLAN TO HELP IS SIMPLE! We have several suitable preloved caravans, which are immaculate and ready for supply. (Each Van will be set up to be Self Sufficient, by Sunbuster Caravans, if not already.) We are aware that there are many fundraising activities in place for bushfire relief at this time, and we are hearing a lot about fundraising for the poor animals affected by this disaster, which is heartbreaking, however, let me ask you this question…. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE????
We are also aware that many people are reluctant to give as they do not know what their money is actually funding. Well, now you will, showing your support and giving to the Sunbuster Bushfire Assistance Program you are fully aware of where your hard-earned funds are actually being channelled. Your funds will be providing a temporary home to the families whose lives have been destroyed in the communities around you.
Each Caravan will be clearly identified as being supplied as part of the SUNBUSTER GIVIT Bushfire Assistance Program. Your gift can be made by purchasing online at www.sunbustercaravans.com.au or by phoning and using your Credit card, free call 1800 472 665. Our target is $300,000, to begin with, but it’s only a start as that will only house 8–10 distraught families, so we desperately need your help.
Let’s show our struggling Aussie families they are loved and appreciated and are not alone. Let’s band together and show our true Aussie Spirit, please make your decision to become involved, commit today and let’s show everyone WE CARE.
Solace Supports Drought Angels
Drought Angels provides a unique service for which it is has become well known for within the rural sector. Drought Angels is a small charity run by big hearts, who offer a listening ear, a warm hug and personalised support given to each family.
They like to tell our farmers that this is not a handout but a Thank You. “Thank you for all you do to put the food on our tables because without you we would all go hungry”.
Through direct personal contact with the farmers, Drought Angels have earnt a reputation for providing personalised, heartfelt and discreet assistance. We help those who would not normally reach out but prefer to battle it alone, which can lead to severe depression and in some cases suicide. One-on-one support aides in ‘breaking down the barriers’ of a proud demographic who quite often have never received a hand up.
They can be the first generation of many who have to contemplated walking off the land and selling bloodlines that have taken years to build up. These are the people of most concern and often forgotten. Drought Angels assist farming families affected by Natural Disasters Australia wide.
Our level of support consists of providing stockfeed, financial support via Prepaid visas and local produce vouchers from within the communities, moral support through personal face to face or phone contact and referrals to other support networks as needed.
Drought Angels pride themselves on their individualized support offered to each and every family. Supporting our Aussies through drought, flood, and fire. You can donate or purchase merchandise by visiting the Drought Angels website at droughtangels.org.au.
Wands
would like to thank you so much for your donations so far, but we still need some help. Please see the following items that we need:
Thank you to everyone that donated or helped to pack the Emergency Kits that were put together on Sunday the 13th of January.
The 80 completed packs have been registered on a national database for the bushfire and flood victims. We have 70 kits that are partially packed and would love any of the following donations to complete them. Collection points are at Bribie Aquatic Centre and Banksia Beach State School.
*toothbrushes
*toothpaste (small tube)
*small wet wipes
*face washer
*lip balm
*roll on deodorant
Your help would be much appreciated. Any questions please contact Selina on 0425 634 234.
Get all your community news and information. Bribie Islands only community gloss magazine NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! – Articles on boating, camping, fishing, life, drama, travel destinations, sports and what to see and do on Bribie Island. Covering charities, organisations, places, children’s activities, arts and crafts, tourist destinations, heritage parks, technology, science, music, gardening, and much more.
Download the latest Bribie Island Newspaper Magazine digital edition here
With the warmer weather and holidays, more people are heading out to enjoy some time on the water. Here are some tips to help make your boating experience better. Check the weather before you head out – if in doubt, don’t go out Queensland’s weather systems are changeable and unpredictable.
Good weather is critical for a safe and comfortable trip. Check the forecast when planning a trip, before you leave and while you are on the water:
Call Maritime Safety Queensland’s weather service for the cost of a local phone call:
• All of Queensland – 1300 360 426
• Marine warnings – 1300 360 427
• South-east Queensland – 1300 360 428.
Remember, weather can change while you are out on the water. Always make sure you have more than enough fuel for your trip. You may need more on your way back if conditions deteriorate and the sea becomes choppy or you have to head to a safe anchorage to wait out a storm.
On the water, everywhere is an intersection – keep a proper lookout Traffic on the water doesn’t just come from one direction, it can come from anywhere. Skippers can use different methods to help them be aware of where they are going and their surroundings. Use all available means to watch out for other vessels on the water. Your passengers can also help keep a lookout.
Remember, your eyes are the best way to navigate. Don’t sink through drink – under .05 applies on the water Blood alcohol limits apply on the water too. The skipper must be under .05 – penalties, including licence cancellation and a fine, will apply to those caught over the limit. The skipper is also responsible for the safety of passengers, which includes their alcohol consumption.
Remember, the effects of alcohol are multiplied while on the water due to the sun, wind and constant motion. When under the influence of alcohol, reflexes and response times are slowed and swimming ability deteriorates considerably. You’re the Skipper – You’re Responsible How you drive your vessel can affect others.
Slow down so your wash doesn’t affect other vessels. Before altering course, check for other vessels in all directions, especially behind you. Just because the rules say you may have right of way doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take action to avoid an incident Giving way Overtaking Crossing Boats meeting head-on: both turn to starboard (right) Keep clear until well past Boat on your right has right of way.
avoid late fees and grab a discount Paying your bills on time is a great way to keep your credit record clean. If you struggle with your bills, consider setting up a regular repayment amount to even out the cash flow. Some energy providers will also offer a discount to customers who pay on time.
2. Monitor your bank balance
To avoid paying overdrawn fees, ensure that the interest rate is correct and that you have not been charged for purchases you didn’t make.
3. Check how much interest you are paying on your credit card
If you owe money on your credit card, check what interest rate you are paying. Credit card interest rates can vary from less than 10% to more than
4. Customer rewards
Think about stores where you commonly do your shopping and find out if they have a rewards program and if it is worth signing up. Some may provide discounts, gift cards or other rewards. Be aware of the data they will collect and ensure you are comfortable with the payoff.
5. Bonus interest rate on savings account
Some providers offer additional ‘bonus’ interest on your savings account if you meet certain criteria, such as making a minimum monthly deposit or making no withdrawals. Sometimes the bonus rate expires after an introductory period. Check to see if your institution has a bonus rate, or consider switching to a savings account with a higher interest rate to save money.
6. Phone your bank and ask for a discount on your mortgage interest rate
Even a small discount could save thousands over the life of your loan – and there is currently more than a 2.5% difference between highest and lowest variable home loan rates on Canstar’s database.
7. Audit your bank accounts to see if you are not paying fees
If you are, there are plenty of fee-free options available.
8. Review your health insurance
Health insurance can be another great place to make savings. Canstar researched and rated 21 health insurance providers
9. Review your personal insurance
Review your personal insurance including your life, total and permanent disability, trauma and income protection insurance. Some of them can be paid via your superannuation fund (or maybe you have a double-up?) – is it a practical option for your needs?
10. Review your superannuation fund
A small difference in fees and/or return can make a big difference to your retirement nest egg.
Tags: History. Bribie Island. Moreton Bay. Queensland. Australian
This is a delightful story about the building of a holiday cottage on Bribie Island in 1946, and the coming of the first mains Electricity to Bribie Island in 1954. That was 66 years ago…. so just think about all the “things” that people did not have before electricity came.
The residents of Bribie Island had been requesting the Government to provide a mains electricity supply to the island for several years. In 1945 the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland sent three Engineers to meet the Bribie Island Progress Association and report its findings on the question as to whether a supply of electricity to Bribie Island was warranted. Keith Price was one of the Engineers who travelled from Brisbane to Bribie Island on the Steamship Doomba to attend the meeting at Bongaree.
Their wives went with them and had a picnic whilst the meeting was in progress. This was my introduction to Bribie Island. After the meeting, the woodman of the Island took all of us for a ride around on his truck. There were no made roads along the front of the passage, just dirt tracks, and we could only go North as far as where the I.G.A. store now stands.
Postcard Bongaree 1950’s
It was just bumpity bump, bumpity bump and we were certainly glad to get off. However, the Committee’s report was against mains supply being extended to the Island as the estimated revenue would be insufficient to cover the cost of the cross-passage cables, etc… So nothing was done about it at that time.
BUYING LAND ON BRIBIE
During a conversation with Arthur Winston, the local Storekeeper at Bongaree, we heard that he would be selling some of his property North of Bongaree where he and his family had a tobacco farm which had not come up to expectations. During 1946 my husband Keith saw an advertisement offering the land for sale.
He rang Arthur Winston who invited him to go down and have a look at it, offering a house that he owned to us for the weekend. We went down, and Keith arose early in the morning and took a walk along the beach, leaving me in bed asleep. When I awoke and heard the scampering of the opossums in the ceiling.
Aerial view Bongaree 1948
And imagined all sorts of wild animals being up there. Keith came back and reported that he had seen hundreds of yabbies, and being a very keen fisherman he was very interested. Of course, at that time yabby pumps had not come on to the market – you had to dig holes, then get down on your knees and scrape the yabbies out of the holes which was pretty hard work.
Later in the day, we set off to look for the land being sold, but all we could see was a dense forest. However, we saw a big black woman on the veranda of a house and recognised her as Lottie, Tom Welsby’s cook. She recognised us, and after we told her the reason for our being there, she called out to Charlie next door, who was cultivating beautiful carnations and asked him to take us down to the land.
When we were on the beach in front of the allotment all we could see was dense forest studded with beautiful trees. We scrambled through the bush and found the allotment which Arthur Winston had mentioned, and found a swamp in front of it, which we filled in by hard labour after we bought it.
BUILDING “KIAMA” COTTAGE
We bought the allotment on which “Kiama” now stands for 50 Pounds. The sale prices were controlled by the Treasury Dept. and Arthur Winston had to sell the front allotments at not more than 50 Pounds, and back allotments at 30 and 25 Pounds. Our first Council rates were 3 Pounds a year.
We decided when Keith had built our cottage we would call it “Kiama”, after a coastal town on the way to Melbourne, where we always swam in the pool cut out if the natural rocks near a big blow-hole. It is an aboriginal name meaning ‘Good fishing grounds’ which was very apt at that time. The first stage was clearing of the land, and then Keith calculated the amount of timber required, and purchased it from Redcliffe.
It was delivered by boat and left on beach and Keith had to carry it up to the site. He erected a tent in the back yard and the two us went to Bribie on the Steamship most week-ends whilst he was building the cottage.
REMINISCENCES
Whilst Keith was building, he dug a hole in the back for water, which we pulled up by bucket on a long rope, complete with many huge green frogs. Afterwards, when we got the electricity, he put in the spear pump and water tank. Then we got the town water and the pump proved very useful for the garden and lawn.
Once the building was finished Keith built a dinghy for himself, and each weekend we would drive over a very bad road from Caboolture to Toorbul Point on a Friday night and hire a boat, and Keith would row across. Some nights were very rough and I was always thankful when we reached the Island.
I was then left at ‘Kiama”, with only a kerosene lamp, whilst Keith towed the hired boat back to the owner. All I could hear were the kangaroos hopping around the cottage the whole time until Keith got back.
Kiama Cottage
CAR FERRY TO BRIBIE
When the car ferry barge started operating after the War we would sometimes ring Mr.Tesch from Caboolture if we were running late on Friday night, and he would have the barge at the Point when we got there. We very often had to wait in a queue for hours on the return trip, Easter Monday being the worst day, there always being a queue of cars waiting five hours or more before getting on to the barge.
Car Ferry
We solved it by taking the car over at daybreak and carrying remaining luggage over later. During the first years, our near neighbours were Fegan, Blacklegs, Butterworth, Stanley, Robert, Marr and Hermes, who built cottages they named Faux Pas, Fegans’ Folly, and Blacklegs’ Blunder.
Fegans Folly
NEW YEARS EVE
On New Year’s Eve, we always had a big bonfire on the beach and every child had to give an item, which they did willingly. What parties they were! Good clean fun. One year the theme song was “Goodnight Irene”, another “I’ve got a beautiful bunch of coconuts” and so on. In that era, most of the fishing was done in front just off the beach and we could see the snapper and sweetlips being pulled out of the water into the boats.
It was not out of the ordinary to catch three or four big fish weighing from 12 lbs. to 24 lbs. during a weekend. The reason for the big fish being so close to the shore was that the Americans, when camping during the war years had a swimming pool in front of “Kiama” which they enclosed with arc mesh and the big fish were feeding on the weed which had accumulated on the mesh. Keith and others built fences from some of the mesh, and fishermen lost quite a few anchors by snagging on it.
Goanna
THE GOANNA INCIDENT:
One weekend friends and I were sitting at kitchen table cleaning crabs for lunch and boning fish for fish cakes, the men being away fishing, when we heard a loud scraping noise presumably coming from behind kitchen dresser. I went outside to see if anything was scratching the sidewall but found nothing.
The scratching continued louder and louder so we all moved to the other side of the dresser with all eyes on the dresser. We all screamed and scrambled out of the window until a neighbour arrived and wanted to know what we were doing. He got on a chair and peered down the back of the dresser, then jumped off quick and said “It’s a goanna trying to get away from there, and it’s the biggest b….. I’ve ever seen. Get me a gaff”.
The goanna was apparently living under the pile of trees left on the front footpath, crept into the house during the night, took a fancy to a basket of eggs on top of the dresser and fell down at the back of the dresser.
FERGUSON AVENUE:
The street beside the cottage in those days was only a winding sand track with a swamp gully running through it. Years later we were invited to give a name to the Street beside our “Kiama”, and I decided it should be named “Ferguson Ave.”, that being Keith’s middle name. Much later the Council officially gave it that name and erected a sign.
Cable to Bribie 1953
CABLE CROSSING
From 1947, we came to stay in “Kiama” on most weekends and holidays. Keith kept telling his Manager at Southern Electricity Authority how great it was and how the resident and holiday population was increasing on the Island. In the early 1950’s the S.E. Authority asked Keith to prepare another report on mains Electricity for Bribie, and draw up a specification for a cross-passage electricity supply cable and call tenders, which Keith joyfully did.
Eventually, Keith recommended the best tender to the Manager and Board of Directors, and huge drums of cable were purchased and delivered. Keith was then asked to set the date for laying of the cables, which turned out to be a perfect day for the job. I have photographs of the men doing the work. We got the electricity supply in 1954, our area being the first to be switched on.
We all had a great night square dancing on the lawn, singing etc. The official opening was held at Bongaree sometime later. Thanks to Evelyn Price for writing down the above story in the 1960s, and to Bev Grimmer for saving it and giving me a copy.
MORE PEOPLE MORE POWER
These first submarine mains electricity cables laid in 1954 were two 11Kv cables. When the Bribie Bridge was being built in 1961 they were replaced with 33Kv cables to cater to the demands of increased population. The 1000 yards of 33Kv cable weighed 21 Tons and was the longest cable laid, jointed and commissioned by the company at that time.
MORE BRIBIE HISTORY
The first submarine electricity cables laid in 1954 were two 11Kv cables. When the Bribie Bridge was being constructed in 1961, with anticipated increases in population to follow, The Historical Society has monthly public meetings at the RSL Club on the second Wednesday of each month (except January) commencing at 6;30pm. with interesting guest speakers on a wide range of topics. You can see many more photos and articles on our Blog Site at http://bribieislandhistory.blogspot.com or contact us on [email protected]
The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!
A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.
Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die –
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.
Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold –
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.
An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land –
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand –
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.
——————————— Famous Australia Poem by Dorothea Mackellar
10 Iconic Foods To Celebrate This AUSTRALIA DAY
1. Lamington.
The lamington is certainly one of Australia’s edible national symbols; there’s even a National Lamington Day on July 21. Sometimes it even comes in two halves with a layer of jam and cream in the middle, making it the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon tea or coffee. The lamington was invented more than a century ago and named after Queensland’s governor at the time, Lord Lamington. Exactly who whipped together the first recipe is still up for debate, with both Toowoomba and Ipswich claiming to be the lamington’s birthplace.
2. Meat pie.
They’re a staple at sporting events and parties and the cause of many a burnt tongue — the humble meat pie is Australia. The meat pie hit our shores at the same time as the First Fleet, and by 1891 George Sargent was commercially producing them in Sydney. And while there’s plenty of gourmet varieties now on the market, it is hard to go past the old-school flaky pastry containing diced or minced meat with gravy.
3. Vegemite.
Love it or hate it, after 90 years Vegemite is still an Australian breakfast favourite. Spread on toast, bread or crackers, or even added to casseroles or layered in cheesy scrolls, the black, salty paste sure is versatile. Chemist Cyril Callister created the vitamin B spread from brewer’s yeast in 1922 for the Fred Walker Company and called it Pure Vegetable Extract. A national competition saw it labelled Vegemite and it hit the shelves in October 1923. The Happy Little Vegemites jingle hit radio airwaves in 1954 and resonates with many Australians to this day, so much so we buy more than 22 million jars of the spread every year.
4. Pavlova.
Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented Pavlova in honour of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who visited both countries in the 1920s. Either way, the meringuebased dessert is one of Australia’s premier sweet treats. With its crisp crust and soft, light centre, decorated with whipped cream and fresh fruit, it is hard to go past fresh Pavlova at any gathering.
5. Tim Tam.
Two chocolate biscuits filled with a chocolate cream centre and covered in more chocolate — these biscuits aren’t good for anyone watching their waistline. Invented by Arnott’s Ian Norris and named by Ross Arnott after the horse that won the 1958 Kentucky Derby, Tim Tams first hit our shelves in 1964. Since then there have been many varieties of Tim Tams and our love of this choc bikkie has only grown, with more than 45 million packets sold in Australia each year.
6. Anzac biscuit.
They’re a big part of the Anzac tradition and commemorations, but the 10 Iconic Foods To Celebrate This AUSTRALIA DAY FOOD, WINE & GOOD TIMES ISSUE 105 | 17th January 2020 21 sweet chewy (or crispy) biscuits we know and love weren’t actually eaten by troops at Gallipoli. The legend goes that they were sent to troops on the Western Front because they had a long shelf life. But according to the Australian War Memorial, the biscuit is often confused with a soldier’s ration staple called the hardtack biscuit, sometimes known as Anzac tiles or Anzac wafer biscuits. The much sweeter and softer Anzac biscuits we enjoy today came along later in the war and were sold at fetes and public events to raise money for the military effort.
7. Chiko roll.
The true home of the Chiko roll has long been debated. Is it Wagga Wagga, Bathurst or Bendigo? The savoury snack was developed by Bendigo boilermaker Frank McEncroe in competition to the Chinese spring roll that was being sold at football matches. It made its first appearance at the Wagga Wagga Agriculture Show in 1951 as the Chicken Roll, despite not actually containing chicken. Food Company Simplot now manufactures Chiko rolls in Bathurst, and the deep-fried snack remains commonplace on menus in fish-and-chip and takeaway shops across Australia.
8. Sausage sandwich
There’s nothing more Australian than getting together for a barbecue with family and friends. And every good barbie offers a sausage sanga — a sausage on bread with a squirt of tomato sauce. Of course, you could upgrade and add onion, different sauces, crusty bread rolls or even break away from a traditional beef or pork snag and try a fancy gourmet sausage. Sausage sizzles have become a staple of work functions, birthday parties and fundraisers — we just can’t walk past the appetising smell of a barbecuing snag.
9. Weet-Bix
“Aussie kids are Weet-Bix kids.” As the song suggests, many of us grew up eating this flaked cereal biscuit with milk for breakfast. Whether it’s with warm or cold milk, covered in honey or sugar, or even eaten dry with jam or Vegemite, there’s certainly plenty of ways to enjoy Weet-Bix. It was developed by Bennison Osborne for Grain Products in the early 1920s as competition to the popular Granose, a wheat biscuit marketed by Sanitarium at the time. Osborne added small amounts of sugar and malt to his cereal biscuits to make them more palatable and they soon became a best-selling breakfast cereal.
10. Burger with the lot
The traditional hamburger may be an American thing, but the Aussies have made the “burger with the lot” their own by adding some true blue flavours. Layering sliced pineapple, beetroot, egg and bacon on top of a meat pattie, cheese and salad on a bun creates a true “works burger”. And the best ones leave burger juice running down your arms as you get your mouth around the enormous taste sensation.
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I have seen Black-fronted Dotterels a few times on Bribie Island. When the water is low at Buckley’s Hole, I have seen them at the edge on the mud on the ocean side of the hole and once at the very north of Sylvan Beach walking on the sand.
They have been known to breed here but have not been recorded very often. When water levels drop, they are likely to turn up at the edge of any of our waterholes to feed along the edge. Black-fronted Dotterels belong to the plover family and are sometimes called Black-fronted Plovers.
They are usually in pairs or alone but sometimes when there is abundant food, they form into groups to feed along the edges of waterholes. Being just 16-18 cm long and weighing only 26-39 g they are indeed small birds.
Dotteral sometimes feeds in very shallow water.
With red-ringed eyes in a black face mask, red bills with a black tip, deep black Y shaped breast band, chestnut on the shoulder, brown wings, pinkish legs and white below they are not hard to identify. They maintain their colouring throughout the year and do not change into breeding plumage.
Males and females are of similar appearance. Flight distances are mainly short and rather slow. When in flight wings appear broad and tails look short. Black-fronted Dotterels are nearly always found along the edges of freshwater wetlands and swamps and manmade dams.
They are only sometimes seen near saltwater shorelines. Usually sedentary, Dotterels are dependent on water and become nomadic if their waterholes dry up and food becomes scarce. They are scattered throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania where conditions are suitable.
During the 1950s they self introduced into NZ where their population is still quite small. Food such as molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic insects and small creatures is mostly foraged for along the edges of muddy waterholes and in water no deeper than a few mm. While feeding in the mud they perform and interesting procedure with bodies held straight running quickly with bobbing heads, stopping, picking up their prey and running on again.
Dotterel feeding in the mud.
August to February in the right conditions is the favoured time to breed. Nests are just a small scrape on the ground usually in the open and very near water. Mostly they nest in solitary pairs with the female laying 2-3 speckled brownish eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for 25-26 days and the babies when hatched spend less than a day in the nest before they leave to find shelter from predators in nearby vegetation.
During one good breeding season, the parents may produce two broods. The development of breeding sites may be affecting their numbers. Predators such as cats, dogs, raptors and reptiles are the main threats during the breeding season to chicks and parent birds. There are some losses due to flooding during heavy rains.
Throughout Australia Black-fronted Dotterels are common and widespread. At this time, they are considered secure in Australia.
Nearly two and a half thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote ‘What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.’ This is the oldest quote I know regarding volunteering and to me, it proves that giving back to the community is a long-held tradition. Rotary’s motto of ‘Service above Self’ and mission of ‘Doing Good in the World’ are befitting adaptations of Aristotle’s long-ago words.
In the modern world we live such busy lives it is hard to find the time to volunteer; however, research has shown that the benefits of volunteering are enormous. It not only helps others, but it also builds better communities and provides numerous benefits to the mental and physical health of the volunteer.
Ian Beaumont and Gillian Parry volunteer at the Rotary markets every month.
What we might call it a win/win situation! Volunteering helps counteract the effects of depression, stress, anxiety, and anger. The social contact of helping and working with others has a very positive effect on your overall psychological wellbeing. Nothing relieves stress better than a connection with a likeminded person or someone in need. Also, using pets for therapy has demonstrated what a positive impact an animal has on people’s moods.
John Oxenford, Gillian Parry, Robyn Harper & Barry Clark packing containers to go to PNG for Donations in Kind
One of my friends takes her beautiful dog to hospitals and nursing homes. She talks so positively not only about the benefits provided to the receivers of the dog’s attention but of the happiness, it brings to her. Volunteering does make you happy. By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have discovered that being helpful to others brings great pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others.
The more we give, the happier we feel. A good example can be found in our current Christmas season where many get more satisfaction out of giving a gift than in receiving one. To see the pleasure on another’s face is all the gratitude we need. It has also been proven that volunteering improves self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose and helps volunteers stay physically healthy – thus, volunteering themselves to health!
A recent worldwide study on the ‘The Scope and Scale of Rotary Volunteering’, conducted by the ‘John Hopkins Centre for Civil Society Studies’ found that:
Rotary’s 1.2 million members volunteered a total of nearly 5.8 million hours in the four-week reference period. Taking out the hours of volunteering associated with World Polio Day, which fell in the survey reference period, Rotary members accounted for close to 5.1 million hours of volunteering;
3. Rotary volunteers save communities an estimated US$850 million in service costs per year;
4. Our members are responsible for 47 million hours of volunteer effort per year; and
5. Average volunteer hours per month varied by region with the average hours in Australia and New Zealand being 6 (see graph).
These statistics do not even include the more than 1 million friends and relatives of members who frequently help out at Rotaryorganised volunteering events. Nor do they include the volunteering contributed by the more than 700,000 members of Rotary’s Rotaract, Interact, or Community Corp affiliates.
The study concludes that ‘Rotary is annually generating a scale of social and economic problem-solving effort that is worth nearly nine times more than it costs the organisation to produce. Here is a powerful demonstration of the enormous leveraging possibilities available from mobilising the unique renewable resource represented by volunteer work.
For a world challenged to meet a demanding set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the face of withering environmental catastrophes and limited governmental and philanthropic resources, the lesson is clear: volunteer service is not only a feel-good calling—it may provide one of the more promising, and one of the more fulfilling, avenues through which to achieve the ambitious goals that the international community has set for itself.
By putting itself through the demanding inquiry described here, Rotary may thus have done a special service by opening this avenue for all to see. If so, this work will have more than met its objectives’. As someone who majored in Sociology and Psychology at ANU and received Distinctions in units such as Methods of Social Research, I found the methodology used in the John Hopkins study ground-breaking.
Previously it was not possible to gain a meaningful grasp on the actual scale or economic value of volunteer efforts. But now, thanks to a recent internationally recognised methodology for measuring volunteer work, it has become possible to answer this question.
Oscar Wilde sums up volunteering in this quote ‘The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.’ Bribie Rotary has 27 members with only a few still working. They all bring a wealth of skills and knowledge to our Club. Giving to, and helping others, not only connects you to people, but it can also advance your career and it brings fun and fulfillment to your life.
Whatever your age or life situation, volunteering can help take your mind off your worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and add more spark to your life. For me, volunteering with Rotary has brought new meaning and direction to my life and I find it very rewarding to help others. Mahatma Gandhi observed ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’
Therefore, my fellow Bribarians, remember that volunteering is good for your mind and body and it also gives you a sense of accomplishment. Always remember, the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to be happy and have a positive view of your life. So, make your new year’s resolutions as you normally do, but perhaps include one whereby you vow to try to help others and do good in the world.
Also, feel free to come and join us and help build better communities. If you would like to volunteer yourself to health and happiness, or just get more information on Rotary, give me a call on 0409 244 005. I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!
She’s also donating 50% of her latest stall which was held at the Bribie Island Cinema for ladies night on Thursday 23rd. She’s also going to keep contributing 50% of any sales until the end of February.
It will be a wonderful night called ‘A Crusader’s Journey’ and we have a fantastic award-winning chef named Robert Van Buerle to create an incredible menu for the evening. It follows the Crusaders route and is reflected in the dishes.
Through direct personal contact with the farmers, Drought Angels have earnt a reputation for providing personalised, heartfelt and discreet assistance. We help those who would not normally reach out but prefer to battle it alone, which can lead to severe depression and in some cases suicide. One-on-one support aides in ‘breaking down the barriers’ of a proud demographic who quite often have never received a hand up.
The residents of Bribie Island had been requesting the Government to provide a mains electricity supply to the island for several years. In 1945 the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland sent three Engineers to meet the Bribie Island Progress Association and report its findings on the question as to whether a supply of electricity to Bribie Island was warranted. Keith Price was one of the Engineers who travelled from Brisbane to Bribie Island on the Steamship Doomba to attend the meeting at Bongaree.
FERGUSON AVENUE:
These statistics do not even include the more than 1 million friends and relatives of members who frequently help out at Rotaryorganised volunteering events. Nor do they include the volunteering contributed by the more than 700,000 members of Rotary’s Rotaract, Interact, or Community Corp affiliates.
