IPSWICH COMMUNITIES GO ALL OUT TO CELEBRATE QLD’S 150TH

From an Australiana Village to a book by eminent Queensland writers Ipswich communities have pulled out all stops to celebrate next year’s Queensland’s 150^th Anniversary, Premier Anna Bligh said today.

“There is outstanding interest for the remaining $2.4 million for the third and final round of the $4 million Q150 Community Funding Program,” she said.

The program, initiated by the Government, helps communities stage their own 2009 celebrations.

“Once again creative events and activities dominate the line-up.

“Four community applications from Ipswich have been successful in the third and final round of Q150 Community Funding for $27,590, including the Ipswich Show Society’s Australiana Village and Papertiger Media’s The Queensland Reader publication.

“Australiana Village at the annual Ipswich Show will become the focal point of what life was like in Ipswich in the mid 1800s, and The Queensland Reader will be an anthology of Queensland writing reminiscent of the groundbreaking Queensland Centenary Anthology of 1959.

“It’s great to see communities so excited about celebrating our 150^th anniversary of separation from New South Wales.

“We’ve come a long way since 1859 and we have plenty to celebrate.

“Today’s Proclamation Day and 21 sleeps until we start our biggest birthday year yet.

“We’ve added more than 300 successful community commemorative projects to the Q150 groundswell of activity that’s building up for next year.

“Queenslanders now have almost 500 Queensland Government-funded community activities they can enjoy or participate in around the State.

“This is on top of the major touring events like the Q150 steam train, Q150 shed and Q150 Film Festival.

“Queensland turns 150 only once and we’re doing everything we can to make sure celebrations touch as many Queenslanders as possible.

“From Weipa and the Torres Strait Islands in the North to Bedourie in the Far West and the Gold Coast in the South, there’s a Q150 activity for everyone.

“2009 is our year! Get ready to enjoy the events, the commemorations and the many creative ways you’ve come up with to mark this milestone in your own communities.”

Ipswich Q150 Community Funding Projects in Round 3 are:

Ipswich Show Society, $10,000. An Australiana Village at the annual Ipswich Show in 2009. The village will feature events including billy tea and damper making, sheep shearing, wood chopping and cow milking. The purpose of the village is to provide the community with a glimpse of what life was like in the region in the mid 1800s.

Karalee State School Parents and Citizens Association, $4980. Queensland 150 Arts Afternoon, the culmination of a number of student activities over three months where students learn about Queensland’s history through, visual art, music and dance. More than 400 students will be involved. Activities include classroom research into Queensland history by prep to year 7 students, visual arts classes where students create art that captures Queensland’s past, present and future, dance classes where students learn popular dances in Queensland from the past as well as from today.

Papertiger Media Inc, Sadliers Crossing, $10.000. The Queensland Reader, publication of an anthology of high quality Queensland writing reminiscent of the groundbreaking Queensland Centenary Anthology of 1959. The publication will tell Queensland stories and create new ones that reflect the culture, heritage and future aspirations of our community. It will include works of 20 to 30 well-known Queensland writers of poetry, fiction and essays, such as writers participating in the Queensland Writers Centre’s Author Train project (also Q150 Community Funded). Editors include Thomas Shapcott AO and Paul Hardacre. At least 1000 copies of the 300-page anthology will be printed.

The Queensland Country Women’s Association, Rosewood, $2610. Speech contests for years 6 and 7 students at ten local primary schools and an essay competition for high school students based around topics that will help them to understand the contributions made to Queensland by early pioneers. Topics include A Day in the Life of a Pioneer Family and The Rosewood District, Past, Present and Future.

Q150 program of events is available online at www.q150.qld.gov.au. More events are uploaded weekly. Printed programs will be available in local newspapers week commencing 25 January 2008 with a second printed program planned mid-year.

Media inquiries: 3224 4500

Michaela Hasted, Administration Officer, Ipswich Show Society, 3281 1577 admin@ipswichshow.com.au

Kym Goody, President, Karalee State School Parents and Citizens Association, 0424 470 581 kymgoody@internode.on.net

Paul Hardacre, Managing Director, Papertiger Media Inc, 3389 7647 paul@papertigermedia.com

Isabelle Kearsley, Secretary, The Queensland Country Women’s Association, 5464 2421 isabelle.kearsley@bidpond.com