Hervey Bay Gossip

If you want to buy, swap, sell or give away something here in Hervey Bay there’s a new group to help you do it online and free of charge.

Herveybayguyswapsellfreebies started last weekend and it certainly seems to be rocking along so why not join in and have some fun as well as getting rid of all those things you don’t really need?

Follow the link and you’ll find yourself at the group’s homepage on Yahoo!. Joining is simple, the instructions on how to get active on the group are easy to follow and there’s already some good gear exchanged hands through the group’s activities.

Today I had the pleasure of speaking at a meeting of the Hervey Bay Writer’s Group. I’m not sure that they learned all that much from what I had to say but I certainly learned a lot from meeting with them.

So if you have a desire to express yourself through words then you will find some contact details here

Multicultural Affairs Minister Chris Cummins today announced $7,120 funding for two Wide Bay region community groups to run awareness raising projects in Gympie, Hervey Bay, Childers, Maryborough and Bundaberg.

Mr Cummins said the funding, provided through the Beattie Government’s Muslim Community Grants program, was part of more than $160,000 for fifteen projects across the state, promoting interaction and understanding between Muslim and non Muslim Queenslanders.

“The Fraser Coast Cultural Consultative Group will receive $4,800 to host a series of interactive workshops covering interfaith relationships and the contributions and history of Muslims in Queensland,” he said.

“The workshops will be linked to regional media to help promote acceptance and understanding between all groups in the Wide Bay region and provide an opportunity for people to learn more about each others’ faiths and practices.”

If you do then the State Government wants to hear about them.

The State Government wants Queenslanders to nominate quiet achievers aged over 50 for the 21st Premier’s Awards for Queensland Seniors.

The Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors, Warren Pitt, today called on Queenslanders to nominate an older person who has made an outstanding contribution to the community.

“The Premier’s Awards are an excellent way of acknowledging the many seniors who are actively involved in voluntary work, particularly after they retire,” Mr Pitt said.

“The awards recognise that these older Queenslanders are positive role models for our young people.”

Nominees can be an older person who is involved in organising community events or fundraising, participating in voluntary activities, or generally contributing to the wellbeing of the community in their own time and for no financial reward.

Nominees should not have received an Australian or Commonwealth honour such as an AM, OAM, MBE or previous Premier’s Award for community work, unless the work is in a different field.

Mr Pitt said seniors nominated for a Premier’s Award in the past 20 years had ranged in age from 50 to 100.

“The 393 past winners were selected for a variety of volunteer activities and outstanding contributions in a range of areas,” he said.

“These include the arts, the environment, fundraising, caring for others, working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, assisting migrant communities, and a host of other vital community services.

“This year, another 15 seniors will be selected to receive an award.”

For more information phone the Office for Seniors on 1300 132 654.

Nomination forms are available from Department of Communities’ regional offices, seniors’ organisations, electorate offices, QGAP agents or on the Department of Communities website at www.communities.qld.gov.au

Nominations close on Friday, 16 June 2006.

I’ve been bumming around the Net since 1996 when I built my very first and very forgetable website that looked at rail and road transport in Tasmania.

Back then the idea that the Internet could grow into the incredible thing it is today was still only a dream to most of us who were trying the new medium.

But now the Internet is a way of individuals communicating with the world. Anyone with a computer and a modem can get online and invite others to look into their world.

One person who is doing just that right here in Hervey Bay is Ben May and you can find his site at http://www.benmay.org – it’s definitely worth taking a look into Ben’s world.

I guess that many people can’t be wrong – this is a great place to live and the Australian Bureau of Statistics now puts the population at just over 50,000.

The Hervey Bay Bike Ride is on again this Sunday so if you like two or three wheel transport that requires pedal power then be at the Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens in Elizabeth Street at 9.30 to register.

There is a short and long course and it promises to be a fun day for all.

The Hervey Bay Digital Imaging and Camera Group will be holding a photographic exhibition at the Hervey Bay Art Gallery from March 20 to April 9 that will be well worth seeing.

The group meets every third Tuesday morning at 10am at 60& Better at Dan’Dinna House, 459 Boat Harbour Drive, Torquay.

Hervey Bay golfer, Doug Thorp, has been competing in several important golfing tournaments in Tasmania recently. On Friday he was the runner-up in the Tasmanian Senior amateur Championship played at Mowbray Golf after going down by one stroke to Mike Leedham.

Doug Thorp from Hervey Bay is currently competing in the Tasmanian senior amateur golf championship that got under way at Mowbray in the State’s north yesterday.

I could of course make some wise crack about Doug enduring the weather but unfortunately it was warmer in Hobart yesterday than it was in Hervey Bay.