MACKAY WHITSUNDAY COMMUNITIES GO ALL OUT TO CELEBRATE QUEENSLAND’S 150TH

From a family fun day to events that share the region’s rich cultural heritage and a picnic race day, communities in Mackay and the Whitsunday area 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.

“Seventeen community applications from the Mackay Whitsunday area have successfully applied for $122,891 in the third and final round of Q150 Community Funding.

“They include the Eungella Business Group’s History family fun day, the Fitzgerald Aboriginal Islanders Teacher Helpers event to celebrate the rich cultures of the region and the Gargett and District Horse and Pony Club’s Q150 Gargett Picnic Race Day.

“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.”

Mackay Whitsunday Q150 Community Funding projects in Round 3:

Abel Point Yacht Club, Airlie Beach, $9500. The Hayles Dent to Dunk Centenary event promoting the maritime heritage of the area to the community. The event will promote the natural beauty of the region to visitors, and will engage primary school children on the route of the rally and race. The heritage Tall Ship fleet will be a part of the event, and will allow children to connect the past-time of sport and cruising sailing with the transport and supply functions performed by the early shipping in the region from Airlie Beach to Cardwell.

The Bowen Shire Festival of Murals Inc, $9500. A mural depicting the history of the police force in Bowen since the first settlement in 1861. Bowen was the first settlement in North Queensland. The mural will acknowledge the role of native police, and make the public aware of the role officers have played in keeping the community safe since 1861.

Dysart Community Support Group Inc, $10,000. The 2009 Dysart Coal-a-rama Town Party - a community celebration of the 150th anniversary. Free entertainment and rides for the children will be provided. Community groups are encouraged to have a stall at the event. The event will bring all the workers and their families together to connect as one community. The event will be held in the Isaac Regional Council's Centenary Park, in the centre of Dysart.

Eungella Business Group, $10,000. The Eungella History Fun Day, a family fun day celebrating Queensland’s 150^th anniversary. This project also includes researching, collecting and recording the rich history of Eungella.

FAITH Committee (Fitzgerald Aboriginal Islanders Teacher Helpers), North Mackay, $4000. An event that shares the rich cultures of the Aboriginal, Torres Strait, and Australian South Sea Islander communities with school children, and the wider community. The project will pass on the cultural knowledge possessed by the Elders to the Aboriginal, Torres Strait, and Australian South Sea Islander children in the school community as well as provide knowledge to the non-Indigenous children as parents within the community during NAIDOC week celebrations. Elders will teach dance and song to the children which will culminate in a demonstration at the school.

Gargett and District Horse and Pony Club, Deveraux Creek via Marian, $10,000. holding the 'Q150 Gargett Picnic Race Day'. A community event with a heritage theme based on the picnic race days held in the bush when the bush community would come together for a social, fun and exciting event. Participants and visitors will be asked to dress in heritage clothing and the food will be traditional country food. There will be displays of horse powered and drawn equipment and vehicles from all ages. The event will be held during the River Rock to Mountain Top Festival where communities along the Pioneer Valley host a range of events.

Hampden State School Parents and Citizens Association, Kuttabul, $10,000. A booklet about the Old Hampden Cemetery and its pioneer inhabitants, and a webpage containing the personal histories and stories of servicemen whose names are recorded in the Remembrance Gardens. The Garden is now the focal point of ANZAC Day, the Dawn Service, and Remembrance Day ceremonies for the Kuttabul community.

Kilcummin State School Parents and Citizens Association, $10,000. A book which details the establishment of the school and stories of people who have attended the school. The book will contain class photos, and photos of special events, concerts and sports days over the past 50 years. A mural will also be painted on a building in the school grounds which will celebrate the school's and the State's anniversaries.

Mackay and District Senior Citizens' Club, $2,000. A Period Ball to celebrate Queensland's 150 Anniversary. The project will encourage the community to come along and celebrate the State's birthday whilst enjoying the dance. The ball will be held in the Senior Citizen's Centre in Macalister Street, Mackay. Community members from Mackay and the wider area, including Pioneer Valley, Calen, Seaforth and Sarina will be invited to attend the ball. Attendees will be encouraged to wear period costume.

Mackay Family History Society Inc, $10,000. A book about the early families and pioneers in the Mackay Region.

Opera North Inc, Eimeo, $9680. A reproduction of the Merry Widow - rewritten with a Queensland feel to make it relevant to a local audience. The new project, called The Merry Widow of Sugarshed Road' is a comedy with music. The underlying theme is of redevelopment and changing land use. The traditional parts have been revised so that the banker becomes a sugar mill owner, the Ambassador becomes the Mayor of the Regional Council, the secretary the Council CEO, and the Frenchmen become developers. The project will celebrate the anniversary in a light-hearted way which reflects some of the concerns of Queenslanders. The performance will take place during the 2009 Mackay Festival of Arts.

The River Rock to Mountain Top Community Festival, Mirani, $8211. The infusion of the Q150 celebration into the River Rock to Mountain Top Community Festival and historical display.

Spatial Sciences Institute (Queensland Division) - Mackay Surveyors Town Group $10,000. Q150 commemorative permanent survey marks in the Mackay region celebrating surveyors and other spatial information practitioners who were involved in the demarcation of Queensland from the then colony of New South Wales 150 years ago. Its members have explored and mapped the lands that we now inhabit. The Mackay Town group of SCI aims to establish Q150 commemorative permanent survey marks in prominent locations in the area. They will be signposted to commemorate the contributions of past pioneering surveyors in the region and to provide an understanding on how to use today's satellite based navigation systems

The Whitsunday Regional Council - Airlie Beach Lagoon Celebrations, $2500. A family fun evening at the Airlie Beach Lagoon to commemorate the Q150 Celebrations. The event will offer the Whitsunday region a fun, free, community orientated event focusing on the Q150 day and year. Airlie Beach will take advantage of the Council Lagoon and implement a family fun day and evening including local live music, kids games, free giveaways and a free BBQ followed by a starlight movie.

The Whitsunday Regional Council - Bowen Foreshore Celebrations, $2500. A family fun day at the Bowen Foreshore to commemorate Q150 celebrations and showcase and officially open the newly re-developed Bowen Foreshore precinct that was funded through LIP. There will be live music and a free community BBQ with face painting, picnics and decorations to create a family fund day atmosphere. The event will offer the Whitsunday region a fun, free, community orientated event focusing on the Q150 day and year.

Lisa Reynolds, Mayor and Councillors Support Officer, Whitsunday Regional Council, 4945 0605, lisa.reynolds@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

The Whitsunday Regional Council - Collinsville Coalface Museum Celebrations, Proserpine, $2500. A family fun day at the Collinsville Coal Face Museum to commemorate the Q150 celebrations where Collinsville will showcase its heritage and culture with a free community BBQ. The event will offer the Whitsunday region a fun, free, community orientated event focusing on the Q150 day and year.

The Whitsunday Regional Council - Q150 Steam Train - Proserpine Welcoming Ceremony, $2500. A welcoming ceremony at the Proserpine Train Station for the official Q150 Steam Train. The event will offer the Whitsunday region a fun, free, community orientated event focusing on the Q150 Steam Train stopping at the Proserpine station, followed by live entertainment and food at the local Proserpine Entertainment Centre. There will be historical train displays, and older residents will be invited to talk about their experiences.

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

Stewart Key, Commodore, Abel Point Yacht Club, 4948 0206, skey@bavariayachts.com.au

Heather Skinner, Secretary, The Bowen Shire Festival of Murals Inc, 4785 2272, neilizjurgens@bigpond.com

Margaret McDowell, Community Development Officer, Dysart Community Support Group Inc, 4958 2461, dcsgcdo@bigpond.net.au

Kerry McNeill, Eungella Business Group, 4977 5037, designer@eungella.com.au

Marnie Pontelorvo, Treasurer, FAITH Committee, 4955 7883, marnie.earnie@bigpond.com

Maxine Stevenson, Treasurer, Gargett and District Horse and Pony Club, 4959 1123, donmax@activ8.net.au

Helen Taylor, Member, Hampden State School Parents and Citizens Association, 0411 051 704, htayl40@eq.edu.au

Alice Marks, Secretary, Kilcummin State School Parents and Citizens Association, 4983 5078, darren.marks@bigpond.com

Zillah Howland, Chairman, Mackay and District Senior Citizens’ Club, 4951 1444 lynnsmart@aapt.net.au

Jean Turvey, Secretary, Mackay Family History Society Inc, 4942 6266 jmet16@bigpond.com

Peter Sherlock, Producer, Opera North Inc, 4969 5737, psherlock@sherlocksos.com

Mary Florence O'Neill, Manager, The River Rock to Mountain Top Community Festival, 4958 5236 festiv100@hotmail.com

Derek Woods Mackay Town Group Convenor, Spatial Sciences Institute (Queensland Division) – Mackay Surveyors Town Group, 4953 1992 derek@mackaysurveys.com.au

Lisa Reynolds, Mayor and Councillors Support Officer, Whitsunday Regional Council, 4945 0605, lisa.reynolds@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

Lisa Reynolds, Mayor and Councillors Support Officer, Whitsunday Regional Council, 4945 0605, lisa.reynolds@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

Lisa Reynolds, Mayor and Councillors Support Officer, Whitsunday Regional Council, 4945 0605, lisa.reynolds@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au