NORTHERN DISTRICT AND PINE RIVERS COMMUNITIES GO ALL OUT TO CELEBRATE QLD’S 150TH

From a community festival and historic cricket match re-enactment to school wall murals, Northern district and Pine Rivers 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 around Queensland 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.

“Five community applications from Northern district and Pine Rivers have successfully applied for $30,370 in the third and final round of Q150 Community Funding.

“They include Moreton Bay Regional Council’s multimedia project to preserve the history of the Normanby Distillery and Warehouse Cricket Association’s Q150 Chermside Community Festival and June 1859 cricket match re-enactment.

“The Undurba State Primary School’s Parents and Citizens Association will stage a historical theatrical production and create Q150 related murals to beautify school walls.

“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.”

Northern district and Pine Rivers Q150 Community Funding projects in Round 3 are:

Act 1 Theatre Inc, Strathpine, $2900. A series of celebratory events to mark Queensland’s 150^th anniversary and the 120^th anniversary of the theatre’s home, heritage-listed Old Shire Hall. Events include an Oz Trivia Night, a play Down Came a Jumbuck along with bush supper, songs and poetry; a barbecue and a bush concert.

Moreton Bay Regional Council, Strathpine, $5000. A motion picture (DVD) on the history of the Normanby Distillery to preserve for posterity a significant element of the area’s cultural heritage. The film will be viewed by visitors to the replica distillery at Old Petrie Town and copies of the DVD will be presented to local schools, libraries and museums.

Osprey House Environmental Centre Management Committee, Griffin, $10,000. The Q150 Fish Habitat Area Art Expo celebrating Queensland’s 150^th anniversary and the 40^th anniversary of the declared Fish Habitat Area Program throughout coastal Queensland. Celebrations will include a photographic competition for secondary schools and an artwork competition for primary schools. Winners will be announced at a Q150 celebrations event at Osprey House.

Undurba State Primary School’s Parents and Citizens’ Association, Murrumba Downs, $2470. Two projects – upgrading the buildings at the school with Queensland-inspired murals and a theatrical production that explores the history of Queensland through music, drama and dance. The murals will be painted onto school buildings at Undurba State Primary School, Ogg Road and Murrumba Downs. The theatrical production will be held at Pine Rivers Uniting Church at Kallangur.

Warehouse Cricket Association Qld Inc, Murrumba Downs, $10,000. The Q150 Chermside Community Festival. The project includes a re-enactment of a historical cricket match between Moreton Cricket Club and the Northern Australia Cricket Club (now Ipswich) played in June 1859 and re-enactment of the signing of the Letters of Patent by Queen Victoria also in June 1859.

The 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

Michele Radford, Act 1 Theatre Inc,3205 1897, 3205 1897

Leith Fenton Barter, Local Studies Librarian, Moreton Bay Regional Council, 3205 7725, leith.barter@moretonbay.qld.gov.au

Kim Pantano, Secretary, Osprey House Environmental Centre Management Committee, 0417 627 039 kimp@kumbartcho.org.au

Belinda Norrie, Grants Co-ordinator, Undurba State Primary School’s Parents and Citizens’ Association, 3491 8829 evansbel@yahoo.com

Laurence Christie, Chairman, Warehouse Cricket Association Qld Inc, 0415 342 007, warehouse@clubs.qldcricket.com.au