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

From happy senior citizens and youth activities,. communities in Brisbane’s South 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 Brisbane’s southern suburbs have successfully applied for $22,160 in the third and final round of Q150 Community Funding.

“They include Flexi Care’s commemorative presentation and booklet on the life stories of senior citizens, Happy Seniors Club of Brisbane’s series of seminars and tours to improve integration

“Students at MacGregor State School Parents School will create a celebratory mural of happy children from many cultures and Rosewood’s Queensland Country Women’s Association is holding a speech and essay competition on what life was like in the 1800s.

“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.”

Southern Q150 Community Funding projects in Round 3:

Flexi Care Inc, Mansfield, $8000. A commemorative booklet and presentation on life stories of senior citizens for distribution and showing at a Christmas function/Q150 celebration event. Flexi Care provides in-home support to frail aged people and younger people with a disability enabling them to live independently in the community. This project helps break the social isolation for the aged and disabled as well as celebrate their life journeys.

Happy Seniors Club of Brisbane Inc, Stretton, $7800. A Chinese migrant becomes a Queenslander series of seminars and tours to create a better understanding and encourage integration into mainstream society. Seminars will be on Queensland’s history, heritage and culture, industries such as agriculture, mining and energy, Brisbane’s development in the areas of health and transportation and the history of Chinese residential and commercial development. Quarterly tours are to a century old village in Queensland, a modern recreational complex, museum, the mountains and the coast. Two events will also be staged to celebrate Queensland’s 150^th anniversary.

MacGregor State School Parents and Citizens Association, $4200. A Q150 celebratory mural of happy children from many different backgrounds and cultures. Children and teachers will work with a professional artist to design and paint the mural reflecting the school’s multiculturalism. The mural will be unveiled at the school’s Multicultural May Fest in 2009.

Rosewood Branch of the Queensland Country Women’s Association, Eight Mile Plains, $2160.

Speech and essay competitions for Years 6 and 7 students at 10 local primary schools on A day in the Life of a Pioneer Family and the Rosewood District, Past, Present and Future. The project aims to highlight how farmers and miners brought development to the area.

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

Melinda Flynn, General Manager, Flexi Care Inc, 3422 8400 melinda@flexicare.org.au

Justin Pan. Secretary, Happy Seniors Club of Brisbane, 3711 4025 jzp1938@yahoo.com.au

Mellany Mollenhauer, Funding Officer, MacGregor State School Parents and Citizens Association, 0412 345 807 mark_mel@gil.com.au

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