COMMUNITIES IN BRISBANE’S SOUTH WESTERN SUBURBS GO ALL OUT TO CELEBRATE QLD’S 150TH

From a family fun day and school poster competition to mosaics, communities in the south western suburbs 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.

“Seven community applications from Brisbane’s South Western suburbs have successfully applied for $56,044 in the third and final round of Q150 Community Funding.

“They include the Inala Community House’s Families Celebrating Queensland’s 150^th Fun Sunday an inclusive celebration at the end of Seniors Week and a school poster competition by the Inala Art Gallery and Cultural Centre.

“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.”

South West Q150 Community Funding projects in Round 3:

Goodna State School Parents and Citizens Association, $10,000. The Goodna tree of knowledge will reflect on the past and imagine the future through a Jacaranda tree wall mosaic with artistic reference to local historic links such as Indigenous people, agriculture, transport (e.g. Cobb and Co) and the diverse migrant education culture. A digital local history will also be placed on the school’s existing kiosk computer to be used in conjunction with the wall mosaic for outdoor learning.

Grand Avenue State School Parents and Citizens Association, Forest Lake, $7000. A brick wall featuring the school and Q150 logos at the school’s entrance. Students will establish a garden around the wall. The monument will be officially acknowledged at the 2009 school fete that will also celebrate Q150. The celebration coincides with the Grand Avenue State Schools 10^th anniversary.

Inala Art Gallery and Cultural Centre, $8943. A poster competition for schools focussing on the history of the Richlands and Inala areas. The project is aimed at creating a greater awareness of the history as well as expand the artistic skills base of its children. Four children from Grades 6 and 7 and four from Gelala High School will be chosen to attend skills development workshops at the art gallery with a view to providing peer tutors who can assist classes produce their posters.

Inala Community House, $10,000. Families Celebrating Queensland’s 150^th Fun Sunday, an inclusive celebration at the end of Seniors week that will emphasise the value of seniors through family history recordings, arts and craft and journals. The day will include food tasting opportunities, entertainment, sports and much more.

Oxley Creek Catchment Association Inc, Rocklea, $4350. 150 visions on how students think the Oxley Creek Catchment will change in the next 150 years. The visions will be created by students from 15 schools and can be poems, pictures such as paintings, collage, photograph) or a story. These visions will be taken on a tour of libraries and community halls throughout the catchment over a two-month period and they will be viewable on the association’s website.

Oxley State School Parents and Citizens Association, $5751. Time Tiles – our past, present and future, will be a mural of ceramic murals decorated by students working to the themes of history, people, places and future under the guidance of teachers and artists. Art styles include photography, illustrations, mask making, cartooning, mixed media and colour explosions.The students’ artwork will be unveiled at the biannual Art Expo in the fourth term of 2009.

St Francis Xavier Primary School Parents and Friends Association, Goodna, $10,000. A publication on Queensland’s 150^th anniversary in 2009 and the school’s 2010 centenary. The school was established in 1910 and currently has 450 students. It enrols students from a wide geographical area including Ipswich in the west, Springfield in the south, Munruben to the east and Seventeen Mile Rock to the north.

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

Kylie Soe, President, Goodna State School Parents and Citizens Association, 3437 9333 ksoe5@eq.edu.au

Anita Moiesen, President, Grand Avenue State School Parents and Citizens Association, 0417 618 824 acnoiesen@hotmail.com

Rizieri Formigoni, President, Inala Art Gallery and Cultural Centre, 3372 8208 inalaarts@ecn.net.au

Helen O'Reilly, Manager, Community Support Program, Inala Community House, 3372 1711 csp@ich.org.au

David Sparks, Oxley Creek Catchment Association Inc, 3278 2899 occa@flatrate.net.au

Tricia Campbell, President, Oxley State School Parents and Citizens Association, 3278 7094, mpcampbell@optusnet.com.au

Kelly Watson, President, St Francis Xavier Primary School Parents and Friends Association, 3814 2403 kkwatto@bigpond.net.au