Hervey Bay Gossip

Back in October we posted a story on the Gossip about the lack of protection at the airport for patients who need to be transferred from ambulance to plane when they’re on their way to Brisbane for ongoing medical care.

Hervey Bay Needs a Patient Transfer Facility looked at the work of a small group of very dedicated people who were attempting to raise the money that would be needed to construct a facility that would allow patients to be protected from the elements while the transfer was taking place.

Now all that hard work by just a handful of people is about to reach a very important stage. On June 18 at 11am the Mayor of the Fraser Coast Regional Council will turn the first sod to celetrate the commencement of the construction of the facility.

It’s just one step along the way to having a first class patient transfer facility and the people who are pushing this project forward can use all the help they can get. If you can help then head over to the Fraser Coast Patient Transfer Facility website for the contact details that will put you in touch with this very dedicated band of people.

While there’s plenty of great scenery to photograph around Hervey Bay people don’t often think to look up at the sky. At this time of year the sky is often filled with some interesting cloud patterns and yesterday morning was just one of those mornings.

At 4.55 this morning the Weather Bureau issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds and abonormally high tide sna dangerous surf  for the coastal parts of South East Queensland and Fraser Island.

Damaging winds with gusts to 100km/h are expected to develop along the coast and higher ground in the south-east and extend to Fraser Island tonight as a deep low pressure trough that currently lies south of Coolangatta beings to move northwards.

It seems that the beautiful morning Hervey Bay is experiencing today is going to change to something quite unpleasant later in the day.

Mobile phones are wonderful tools for most people. They let us communicate with one another in the good times and the bad times when emergencies arise. But even the simplest mobile phone has been far from user-friendly for people with disabilities.

Drilling down through all those menus to just make a phone call to a family member can be too much of a challenge for many disabled people but now we have the Doo Phone. The Doo Phone is actually some software that turns any phone that runs Windows Mobile 6.1 into a very user-friendly phone for people with disabilities.

The Doo Phone has been designed by Rhys Cooper from Brisbane and it’s currently in the running for an award at the 2009 Mobile User Experience Awards. You can read more about the Doo Phone here or watch a short video produced by the designer here.

Anyone who has close contact with someone with a disability will recognise this as a major communication breakthrough.

It’s interesting to look around Hervey Bay at all the small businesses that are in operation in the town. There’s an incredible variety of businesses and some that produce rather unusual products and are not to be found in any of the shopping or light industrial centres around Hervey Bay

Here I’m not talking about the get-rich-quick scam merchants who are out there busily peddling pyramid schemes that so obviously are … even though they claim they aren’t. Here I’m talking about people who produce a genuine product and the latest that we here at the Gossip have come across is Rhasdala Soaps.

Rhasdala Soaps are makers of boutique hand-made soaps and you’ll find them online by following the link. So if you’re looking for a unique gift that you won’t find anywhere else then buy online from their website and keep your money in your local community.

It’s that time of year when many Hervey Bay locals take some time out and do the tourist thing in other parts of Australia. If you’re one of those lucky people who can get away for some much needed rest and relaxation and you’re looking for something a little different then here’s a suggestion for you.

Wherever you’re spending your holidays check out the local helicopter charter service and let them take you to see the sites from an angle that few people ever see. Don’t forget to take your camera with you either because you’ll end up with some great photos to show your friends.

If you’re heading down to the New South Wales and you want to see Sydney from the sky then check out the Sydney helicopter charter services offered by Skyward Helicopters. They can show you the sites of Sydney as you’ve never seen them before.

These days there are plenty of helicopter charter services around so wherever you’re going there’s sure to be one nearby so check them out and have some fun while you’re seeing the sites.

Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten today urged Hervey Bay homeowners to attend a FREE building advice seminar on Wednesday to learn about ‘Smart Building and Renovating’ in Queensland.

Mr Schwarten said the seminar would guide homeowners through the entire building and renovating process.

“Now is a great time to build or renovate. Tradies are more readily available than they were during the building boom, building costs have levelled out and interest rates are historically low,” Mr Schwarten said.

“Your home is likely to be your greatest investment, so it’s important that you understand how to get the best value for money and protect yourself against dodgy work.

“These seminars run through all the important things you need to know before building or renovating, from financing your project and choosing a contractor, to getting a written contract for the work and maintaining the work after completion.”

Mr Schwarten encouraged local ho meowners to make the most of the opportunity to get free advice that could end up saving them money and hassle.

“Industry experts will explain how to go about common renovations like bathrooms, kitchens and laundries, and give homeowners an idea of who to go to for further advice on new construction, alterations and additions,” he said.

“The BSA ‘Smart Building and Renovating’ seminar is the best place to start if you are looking to improve your most valuable asset and take advantage of the current times.”

To register, call 1300 BSA BSA or visit www.bsa.qld.gov.au.

WHAT: ‘Smart Building and Renovating’ – a building advice seminar for people wanting to renovate or build their own home

WHERE: The Boat Club, Buccaneer Drive, Hervey Bay

WHEN: 6.30pm, Wednesday 13 May

RSVP: Call 1300 272 272 or email bsaseminars@bsa.qld.gov.au

This morning was a beautiful morning … the sun was shining … there was a gentle breeze blowing … and because it was a public holiday there were plenty of people out on the water fishing.

Unfortunately within just a few minutes it turned cold (well relatively cold), wet and miserable when this storm moved across Fraser Island and into Hervey Bay.

This photo was taken around 7.30am this morning.

The whales are on the move again and that’s good news for Hervey Bay.

The first whales heading north are expected to pass to the east of Fraser Island later this week and we’ll see them coming into Hervey Bay in July.

While there’s more competition for our whale-watching industry from boats on the Gold Coast and in Sydney none of those operators can show tourists the whales in quite the same environment and frame of mind as we can here in Hervey Bay.