South west Qld communities get Blueprint for the Bush funding

A cultural history walk and a volunteer divisional therapy program are two of the south west Queensland community projects to be funded under the latest round of Blueprint for the Bush funding.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Main Roads and Local Government Annastacia Palaszczuk said the region would share more than $200,000 in Queensland Government funding for key local community projects.

“The State Government’s Blueprint for the Bush – Strengthening Rural Communities program offers grants to help rural communities develop and implement projects to improve community capacity, access to transport services and the image of rural areas,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that south west Queensland communities will receive $204,402 through round two of this year’s Our Place, Our Future initiative.

“Our Place, Our Future aims to strengthen and enhance the relationships between rural and urban areas, as well as building the networks and support needed to attract and retain skilled workers in the bush.”

The successful projects are:

·$12,500 for Dalby Regional Council to undertake the planning process to establish a cultural history walk at Miles,

·$7,000 for Southern Downs Regional Council to fund the marketing and associated costs towards participating in Country Week 2008,

·$7,209 for Texas Hospital Auxillary Inc to establish a framework for a volunteer divisional therapy program at Texas,

·$20,000 for North East Downs Landcare Group Inc to develop a future vision plan for the West Toowoomba Region,

·$37,693 for Total Health and Education Foundation to engage young people to enhance their community connections, and

·$120,000 for Western Downs Regional Development Corporation Ltd to implement a series of events and build a website for the ‘Energy to Grow’ project.

Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said the Bligh Government was strongly committed to building strong and sustainable communities across rural and remote Queensland.

"One of the major goals of the Blueprint for the Bush is for communities to be viable and strong so it is important that they have access to such funding initiatives,” Mr Shine said.

"Our ongoing investment through the program helps to deliver practical measures to address rural community development issues, assist effective community engagement and help implement existing community plans."

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s office 3227 8819