Herald 20180123

Crows Nest Australia Day in the park
Australia Day 2018 celebrations in the Crows
Nest Centenary Park will be held in Centenary
Park starting at 7am with entertainment from
Cloud 9 Bush Band and face painting for the children.
A breakfast of bacon and egg roll or sausage
sizzle will be available from 7.30am for a $2 gold
coin donation.
Other entertainment will be provided by the
Crows Nest Community Choir and Bush Poetry
by Paul Fleming and Russell Plunkett.
Winners of the written poetry competition will
be announced and also there will be a re-enactment
of Waltzing Matilda.
The Australia Day Awards presentation will take
place at 9am followed by morning tea of lamingtons
and damper and music and bush dancing.
Please note if wet, the festivities will be held at
the Community and RSL Centre.
For all enquiries and information please call Paul
Fleming 4698 1056.
Flashback: Australia Day Crows Nest 2010. - Herald file photo
Art activities start for the new year
Art activities for 2018 are now firmly in our
‘frame of reference’ with the first six months
packed with workshops, exhibitions and art
shows, all of which will give members and new
comers alike a chance to learn and experience
the joy of creativity.
The first workshop on February 10 with Pam
Shipman will use the pastel medium to draw
and paint. Jane Hoffman will run another of her
popular watercolour workshops on March 10 so
those who couldn’t make it last time have another
opportunity to enjoy a session with Jane.
These workshops are designed to accommodate
the beginning artist so newcomers are
welcome and need not worry about materials as
these are supplied in the cost for the day.
Sessions usually run from 9 to 4 and are held
in the Crows Nest Community and RSL Centre.
The new theme for the Nest Café is ‘Abstracts’
and details of paintings to be displayed
must be with the exhibition organizer by February
2. Feature artist will be Michiko Gustafson.
PASTEL WORKSHOP
Saturday, February 10
WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 10
running from 9- 4 in the supper room of the
Crows Nest Community and RSL Centre
WINE AND CHEESE OPENING NIGHT
Crows Nest
for Michiko Gustafson
will be held on Friday, February 16
The ‘Seascapes’ display, currently in the
Cabarlah Nest Café, will be replaced by works,
‘In the Style of the Masters’ on March 13.
Deadline for entries is March 2. Feature artist
will be Kay Tyler.
For bookings please contact
secretaryaocn@gmail.com
or workshop organiser
Pam Shipman 0408 799 587
Dams feature in triathlon idea
Triathlon is a gruelling
pursuit, but it attracts
athletes, supporting teams
and tourists, and such an
event is being proposed
for the Crows Nest area.
Owner of Tweeters
Country Getaway near
Crows Nest, Peter Ferris,
has experience with
the establishment of a
triathlon event at Julie
Creek in North-West
Queensland, and he says
it now attracts 20,000
people to the town.
Mr Ferris said a
triathlon involving the
three dams, Cressbrook,
Perseverance and Cooby,
would be different to
others, and could be a
significant event for the
region.
Triathlon involves
swimming (3km to 5km),
then a cycling stage
(about 100km), finishing
with a run (about 28km).
Mr Ferris is suggesting
an event could start with
a swim across Cressbrook
dam, then the cycling
stage past Perseverance
Dam to Cooby Dam, with
the run back to Crows
Nest.
He has floated the idea
with the Crows Nest
Tourist and Progress
Association, and
Toowoomba Council. He
said most show interest,
but having people commit
to organise the event is
the hard part.
Mr Ferris has suggested
that major events in the
Toowoomba Region
need the assistance of an
organising group, rather
than just volunteers from
the community.
He reminds us that the
Toowoomba Carnival of
Flowers has a dedicated
workforce and suggests
that such a group might
be able to help with
The annual Toowoomba
Swap Meet,
organised by the Darling
Downs Veteran
and Vintage Motor
Club, is being held at
the Toowoomba Showgrounds
on Saturday
and Sunday, February
3 and 4.
2018 will be the 46th
meet which is now
counted among the biggest
three such events
in Australia.
Each year, more than
15,000 people from the
general public attend,
including approximately
1800 site holders
and a volunteer force of
over 540 people.
important events in other
parts of the Toowoomba
Region.
Peter Ferris said he
and his wife Thuy
were passionate about
increasing tourism in the
Crows Nest area.
He said a triathlon had
the potential to put Crows
Nest “on the map” with
a flow-on of business
opportunities throughout
the year.
But he cautioned there
would be quite a bit of
work by many to make
this happen. However the
benefits can be worth it
for all.
The Toowoomba
Swap Meet was originally
organised as a
venue to cater for the
hobby vehicle movement
and the large majority
of items available
there are car related.
Many people though
also buy and sell antique
and collectable
items and two pavilions
have been set aside for
this purpose.
The Berghofer Pavilion
and the Glenvale
Rooms, or Model
Market, house the majority
of the collectables
which range from
glassware and china
ornaments to model and
Cressbrook Dam swim - first leg of triathlon.
In addition to the
main triathlon event, he
suggests that local people
in teams could become
involved in shorter
sections of the course,
and in relays.
“On the same day you
could hold individual legs
for the swim, cycle and
run for those competitors
that wish to only nominate
in single events.”
“Apart from the single
event which benefits the
town and surrounding
businesses, the cycle
section from Crows
Nest and the run section
finishing at Crows Nest
can be used for weekday
and weekend cycle
enthusiasts.”
“These events if done
to a standard can attract
international and national
competitors, and the
‘dirtndust’ event at Julia
Creek which started out
as simple triathlon and
has grown exponentially,”
Mr Ferris said.
“It’s a three-day festival
involving activities such
as horse racing, bog
snorkling, food tasting,
entertainment, a best butt
contest and bull riding.”
46th annual Toowoomba swap meet
toy cars. The Swap operating
hours are from
6am to 6pm on Saturday
and 6am to noon on
Sunday.
Admission is $15 per
adult on Saturday and
$5 per adult on Sunday.
Online tickets for Saturday
only can be purchased
for at a reduced
price of $13. Children
under the age of 14
years will be admitted
free and same day passouts
will be available.
• Visit toowoombaswap.com
for more information.
Men’s shed steering committee
Crows Nest is in the process of establishing a
Men’s Shed. A steering committee has been elected
and Peter Long is the chairman, Peter MacCartney
is secretary/treasurer and Rod Roberts is
responsible for publicity.
The committee would like to invite any interested
men to come along to their next meeting to be
held in the RSL and Community Centre on January
31 at 2pm.
Contact Rod Roberts on 0402 651 964.
TOOWOOMBA SWAP 2018
Toowoomba Showgrounds
Sat 3rd – Sun 4th February 2018
Operated by the DDVVMC Inc.
● vehicle display
FORMED
INC.
1970
● 1800 sites
● cars & parts for sale
● tools, antiques, collectables, models
● something for everyone
● parts pickup available
● NO dogs
Gate times & prices: Sat 6 am – 6 pm, Sun 6 am – close
Saturday 3rd: $15 adults,discounted Sunday 4th: $5
tickets online, children free
Visit toowoombaswap.com for details and
to purchase entry tickets online.
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12 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - JANUARY 23, 2018 To advertise phone 4615 4416