The Empire launches festival program
The Empire’s popular family festival Thrive on Arts will return from September 26-29, celebrating all things nature and the environment. Sponsored by C&K Childcare and Kindergarten, Thrive on Arts is an annual four-day festival celebrating play, imagination, creativity and storytelling, held during the spring school holidays alongside the iconic Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
Small store of the year
The Local Grocer IGA Westbrook has been chosen from over 400 stores Australia-wide as the IGA National Small Store of the Year. The award was presented on Monday, 15 July, at an awards night attended by staff members including owners Shane and Tracy Smith who also run the IGA Pittsworth store.
Water security bolstered
Toowoomba Regional Council's (TRC) $40 million major upgrades to the Mt Kynoch water treatment plant were officially opened on Monday, supporting water needs into the next decade. Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said TRC had invested $40 million in the Stage 4 upgrade to implement modern water treatment processes.
Positive six month outlook for Australian ag
The Rural Bank has predicted that the 6-month outlook for Australian Agriculture is broadly supportive thanks to strong export demand and favourable price forecasts while challenges from a consumer spending perspective remain, with a dry seasonal outlook also a concern for some regions.
‘Our gardens are like ticking time bombs’
Experts warn a lack of regulation in the garden industry is seeing weedy plants, that can easily be bought in nurseries or online, ‘suffocate’ our native waterways and bushland, with urgent calls for action to prevent more irreversible damage ... Invasive Species Council Advocacy Director Jack Gough said an incredible three-quarters of all listed weeds in Australia are escaped garden plants and every year the problem gets worse.
Renewables: “If not us who? If not now, when?”
This was the challenge put forward by keynote speaker, Cathy McGowan at a sell-out event at last week’s National Renewables in Ag Conference and now the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) is calling on the State Government to put communities first when it comes to the energy transition ... "Don’t be the victim, be the beneficiary," she said. "We need to ask for big things, not just little things, and TSBE is the group that can do that.
Magnificent men and their flying machines
If you’ve ever dreamed of piloting an historic fighter plane such as a Spitfire or Mustang or maybe even a biplane or helicopter then the Toowoomba Aeromodellers Association has the next best option and anyone is welcome to join in the fun. Weather permitting members of the Association meet on Thursdays and weekends to enjoy their passion for flying scale models of their favourite planes to test their flying skills not just regarding take offs and landings but also aerobatics.
Leyburn Sprints celebrating 75 years
In 1949, Leyburn, like every small country town in Australia, was rebuilding after World War II and the opportunity to host the Australian Grand Prix the nation’s most important motor race on a nearby ex-wartime aerodrome provided a highlight for people throughout the Darling Downs region ... The Australian Grand Prix will be remembered with major celebrations at the Historic Leyburn Sprints on 17-18 August 2024.
