Rugby league at Sunshine Coast Stadium will kick off on February 10 with rising NRL and Hostplus Cup stars set to play in three trial matches.
Melbourne Storm’s Academy squad is heading to the Coast to hone its skills and teamwork against feeder clubs the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Suzuki Brisbane Tigers.
The afternoon will be full of fast-paced action with the first game kicking off at 5pm, with each squad playing each other round-robin style.
Tickets will be available on the gate with $10 for an adult, $5 concession and children under 16 are free.
The first home game of the season for both the Hostplus Cup and new women’s BMD Premiership sides is on Saturday, March 16, with the women kicking off at 4.30pm and the men at 6pm. Tickets will be available on the gate.
Local brew just misses podium in beer poll
Sunshine Coast breweries have featured prominently in the 16th edition of the annual GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer poll, which recognises Australia’s favourite craft beers.
Local brews making the top 30 were Your Mates (fourth), 10 Toes (18th), Moffat Beach Brewing Co (25th), Black Flag Brewing (28th) and Heads of Noosa (29th).
A total of 436 Australian craft breweries had a whopping 1877 different beers attract votes as consumers were treated to a plethora of highly entertaining voting campaigns.
Blue Mountains brewery Mountain Culture Beer Co’s much-loved Status Quo Pale Ale claimed top spot for the second year running.
Mick Fanning’s Balter XPA, from the Gold Coast, took silver and, in what was the closest race for third ever, Canberra’s BentSpoke Crankshaft IPA came in just ahead of Your Mates’ Larry, to take out the bronze.
Swimmer shines at national meet
Noosa’s Thomas Raymond scored a hat-trick of gold medals at the 2024 Australian Open Water Championships at Busselton, adding the men’s 5km open title to his 10km open and mixed 4×1.25km relay gold medals.
Raymond (55:22.82) snatched victory in the 5km event from Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku (55:23.48). Australian Jack Wilson (55:24.90) finish third.
The 21-year-old dedicated his haul to coach John Rodgers, who could not make the trip west because of personal reasons.
Raymond’s triple treat also helped Noosa be awarded the champion club on points.
He will do altitude training at Flagstaff, Arizona, in March ahead of Australian Open Championships in April and Paris trials in June.
Clean-up event marks milestone
One simple idea and a whole lot of passion has created a legacy that’s removed more than 250,000 pieces of litter from Sunshine Coast beaches at a critical time during turtle nesting season.
And now it’s time to celebrate a decade of helping turtle hatchlings make it to the ocean, thanks to a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council, Reef Check Australia, Unitywater and SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium.
The community is invited to come together to tidy up their local beach as part of the 10th anniversary of the annual Clean Up For The Hatchlings event on Saturday, February 3.
“Ten years is a lifetime for any program to survive, but the Clean Up For The Hatchlings event continues to thrive year after year,” Reef Check Australia general manager Jodi Salmond said.
Volunteers can register now to pick up litter at various beach locations between Noosa and Caloundra from 6am to 7.30am. To register visit events.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and search ‘hatchlings’.
Surf life saving club celebrates milestone
Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club will celebrate its centenary of service to the community with special events on Saturday, from 9.30am.
A bronze statue, dedicated to volunteers, will be unveiled on the southern side of Alex Surf Club. This will be followed by the launch of new centenary branded surf boat and a member’s lifesaving demonstration.
Chairman of the Centenary Committee Ron Rankin said club members had “provided an outstanding service to the community for 100 years, watching over millions of beachgoers and saving many lives.”
“From its humble beginnings in 1924, the club has grown to become one of the largest and most successful surf life saving clubs in the country.”.
The club was formed primarily by people from the Woombye community and now has more 1700 members.
Classic surf event returns
Australia’s longest running and most successful club-run surf carnival is returning to Maroochydore Beach from January 26-28.
The Murphy Homes Maroochy Classic, presented by the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club in partnership with the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf series, has a history dating back to 1967.
More than 600 competitors from around Australia are expected, a record number for the event.
Among them will be homegrown talent Tiarnee Massie plus young guns Olly Monaghan, Joel Piper and rising star Mary Thompson, facing off against the best of the rest including Ali Day, Lana Rogers, Georgia Miller and Matt Bevilacqua.
With cash and prizes of close to $65,000 and Summer of Surf points on offer, it promises to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the Maroochy Classic in history.
Beach volleyball win
The Sunshine Coast’s first ever professional beach volleyball team have been crowned Queensland champions.
Coolum-based Caitlin Bettenay and Phoebe Bell claimed the title at the Queensland Open, the state’s largest beach volleyball event, held at Caloundra from January 19-21.
Bettenay, who claimed the state title for the fourth time, was the youngest ever debutant for the Australian indoor team, the Volleyroos, as a 17-year-old in 2016.
Restored locomotive to go on show
After many years and setbacks, Buderim-Palmwoods Heritage Tramway has the approval of Sunshine Coast Council to proceed with the display of a restored Krauss locomotive in Buderim adjacent to the heritage-listed Old Post Office.
The Buderim War Memorial Community Association has kindly offered the land and assisted with gaining the approval.
The old loco started in 1914 on the Buderim to Palmwoods Tramway and ran until 1935, when the track was closed due to lack of custom. It was then sold off to Bingera Sugar Mill and became a cane train for the next 20 years.
Buderim-Palmwoods Heritage Tramway Inc members discovered it in a collector’s yard in 2004 and purchased it with funds provided by several councillors and the then mayor. It was then brought back to Buderim and lovingly restored by members.
“We now need to raise the necessary funds for the display building and we will shortly be holding a gala event to launch the fundraising campaign,” president Helene Cronin said.
School welcomes new principal
As school commences for another year, Immanuel Lutheran College families have come together to welcome their recently appointed principal.
With more than 20 years’ experience in Lutheran education, Eloise Beveridge comes to Immanuel from Trinity Lutheran College in Mildura, where she led the college through a comprehensive revamp.
“I’ve been in Lutheran education for over two decades and what stood out to me about Immanuel is its unashamed commitment to educating the whole child,” she said. “It’s not just about academics; it’s about instilling values, fostering service, caring for the environment and providing education in a faith-based setting.”
Mrs Beveridge is bringing her family with her: her husband Laith and their daughter, who will be starting in Year 6 next week.
“We’re excited to be back on the Sunshine Coast, our geographical happy place. It’s a fantastic opportunity for my daughter to start her secondary education at Immanuel,” she said.
Ironwoman set for final rounds of elite series
Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club member Dominique Stitt is ready to race in the final two rounds of the Nutri-Grain Iron Series at Kurrawa on February 3-4.
The 21-year-old, who started her surf lifesaving journey aged seven at Kawana Waters SLSC, got the call-up to join the world’s top ironwomen ahead of Rounds 3 and 4 at Maroubra recently.
Outside of racing and training, she works as a casual lifeguard and studies for a bachelor of paramedicine.
The Round 5 format will be ‘The Specialist’, with four separate races for each discipline of swim, board, ski and run, before an Ironwoman race.
The Round 6 format will be ‘Survival’, with three separate, 12-minute long ironwoman races with the last six finishers in each race eliminated, until eight are left in the final race.
Eleven-year-old’s hampers bring festive cheer
The daughter of a cancer care nurse at Sunshine Coast University Hospital has brought some Christmas cheer to people undergoing treatment.
Alana Phillips said her 11-year-old daughter Harley asked her what patients at the hospital would do for Christmas.
“I explained they continue with treatment. She was horrified they would still have treatment at Christmas. When asked whether the hospital buy them presents, I sheepishly said no,” Ms Phillips said.
Harley then put together a plan and on Friday, December 22, she delivered 21 hampers to the cancer care inpatient unit.
“With some kind donations from the community, she collected items up and put together hampers to bring comfort, warmth, love and some cheeky snacks to warm not only the soul but belly too,” Ms Phillips said.
Norway in focus at family history group
Caloundra Family History Research Inc welcomes Tim Hill to its next meeting on Thursday, January 18, from 1.30pm.
The family historian and former accountant and counsellor will speak on the topic Researching my Norwegian Ancestry.
Mr Hill began his working life stocking supermarket shelves while studying business part-time, then worked as an accountant in an aircraft factory and at Telstra. After taking voluntary redundancy, he retrained as a counsellor, working in that arena for 10 years until the start of Covid, and now co-owns a healthcare clinic.
He began researching his family history more than 35 years ago, with fresh discoveries keeping him going.
CFHRI holds its members’ meeting on the third Thursday of each month featuring interesting guest speakers. All are welcome to join either via Zoom or in person at the rooms which are accessed via Gate 2 at Corbould Park, Pierce Avenue, Caloundra. Non-members need to register at hello@caloundrafamilyhistory.org.au.
Workshop to prepare for extreme weather
Sunshine Coast residents can prepare for extreme weather conditions at free workshop, offered by NRMA Insurance and Australian Red Cross.
Locals can learn about local weather risks and how to prepare for an emergency at the EmergencyRedi Workshop, to be held at the Nambour Community Centre on January 31, 5.30 pm.
Research from NRMA Insurance showed that almost one in three Australians do not have a good understanding of extreme weather risks in their area and nearly half did not know what steps they need to take to prepare for an extreme weather emergency.
Additionally, only a quarter of Australians have an emergency plan to help them respond to an extreme weather event.
Workshop participants will learn about risks and be equipped with the knowledge and tools to prepare for emergencies. All attendees will build their own emergency RediPlan that includes key contacts, meeting places, animal plans, key documents, special items, medical information and stress management plans.
Funding boost for the arts
Fourteen artists, arts groups and creative businesses will share in almost $90,000 to develop their practice, via Sunshine Coast Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund.
The grants will enable recipients to deliver an array of projects, including workshops, music albums, mentoring, and live shows.
Coolum Beach musician Andrew Veivers said he was ecstatic to secure a grant and will use it to write and tour reimagined Spanish guitar compositions.
“Arts funding is an incredibly competitive environment and I feel an affirming blend of gratitude, accomplishment, and creative anticipation,” he said.
“I have been a full-time musician, composer and workshop facilitator based on the Sunshine Coast for 20 years. I have been very fortunate to receive RADF funding to assist in a couple of composition/production projects over the past decade.”
Windsurfer relishes world title
Sunshine Coast’s Josh Green is savouring a division victory at the Windsurfer World Championships, which were held in Perth.
He managed a near-flawless regatta to claim gold in all three disciplines (course racing, slalom, marathon) in the lightweight class (under 75kgs).
“I still can’t quite believe it,” he said.
“I knew I had it in me, but to win all disciplines against such quality sailors, I’m over the moon. It’s been three years of hard work leading to this and I couldn’t be happier with my result. It just shows that hard work and focus on a goal can pay off.”
He said he hoped to compete at the next world championships in Spain in August.
Take up Great Botanic Race Challenge
If you’re keen to get youngsters and teens out of the house and into the great outdoors, the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden is up for the challenge.
The Great Botanic Race is an orienteering activity with a puzzle to solve that makes visiting the bushland a fun adventure for families.
Grab a friend, pick up a map at the front entrance or download and print it off the website before you arrive. Choose between the Junior course (6 letters, 1km in one hour) or the full course (15 letters, 2km in two hours).
Then walk or race through the forest, lawn and sculpture gardens using the detailed map to navigate between the numbered control points, each with a different letter and a hole punch so you know where you’ve been. Find them all to solve the puzzle.
This free activity was developed in partnership with Adventure Sunshine Coast and Sunshine Orienteers. The botanic garden, in Palm Creek Road at Tanawha, is open 7am-6pm daily.
International recognition for club
The Lions Club of Mooloolaba has received the prestigious Model Club Award from the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
Dr Jitsuhiro Yamada, one of the foundation’s chairs and a past Lions Clubs International president, said the club showed great leadership and dedication in playing a pivotal role in expanding the aid work of the foundation to help disaster-impacted communities worldwide.
Lions Club of Mooloolaba president Peter Whalan expressed thanks to the local community for supporting its projects.
“The patronage of our fundraising projects is appreciated,” he said. “This is typified by the sale of $25,000 in Christmas cakes this December from our major festive season outlet at Maroochydore Bunnings and $2000 from the club’s Bunnings sausage sizzle two days after Christmas.”
In the past six weeks the club’s aid has been focused locally, with $5000 going to the Need for Feed, helping drought-impacted farmers; $6000 to Tara bushfire victims; $5000 to each of St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army to help local families; and $7000 to North Queensland cyclone and flood victims. The cornerstone fundraiser for the club is the Fishermans Road Market.
Epidemic of broken hearts
Love is the answer as violence and injustice help to create an epidemic of broken-heartedness across Australia, according to University of Sunshine Coast social work academic and ‘love theorist’ Dr Dyann Ross.
The presenter of the podcast Love Theorist offers a new theory of heartbreak and the power of love in a recently published book, based on almost five decades of experience in social work, and her own personal insights.
“Our senses are facing an onslaught of harm and injustice that we can’t avoid witnessing and our hearts can’t avoid feeling, that is especially heightened during the holiday season,” Dr Ross said.
“We tend to understand the overwhelming grief and sadness of heartbreak in limited ways such as lost loved ones and relationships, but this needs to extend to other types of losses and harms to grasp the depths of pain involved.”
Dr Ross’s new concept of ‘broken-heartedness’ is based on her analysis of the socio-political and environmental issues in Australia and draws on anti-oppressive ideas and ethics that have fuelled great social movements.
Groups benefit from $99k of grants
Noosa Council has announced $99,000 in community grants to support 13 projects, events and programs, in a boost for the local community.
Recipients include a wide range of projects, such as Cooran Organic Garden to establish a new community garden, and tool and workplace health and safety training for Noosa Women’s Shed.
The latest round of grant funding also supports Noosa Touch Association’s plan to upgrade its electrical switchboard, plus there’s funding for Noosa Trailblazers Mountain Bike Club to purchase equipment to maintain the Wooroi Trail, alongside another nine project recipients.
“In this grant round there’s $48,000 for various projects, $3600 for community events, $27,595 for new equipment requests and $20,264 for infrastructure development,” Mayor Clare Stewart said.
The next round of Community Grants will open for applications from February 8.
Personal trainer releases self-help guide
Noosa fitness guru Alina Anderson is set to release her self-help book, When Life Gives You Lemons, Squeeze Them Harder.
Drawing on her life’s challenges and more than 20 years in the fitness and personal training industry, Ms Anderson offers practical strategies and insights to help people unlock their full potential.
Whether readers are dealing with career setbacks, relationship challenges, or personal hardships, the book provides a roadmap for turning these struggles into catalysts for resilience and self-discovery.
Ms Anderson delves into the art of turning setbacks into opportunities, and she said she was thrilled to be able to share her strategies to help people get through life’s toughest moments.
The book, billed as a transformative guide, is scheduled for release on Friday, January 26.
Secret lives of charity workers
Ninderry MP Dan Purdie was blown away when he ran into two high-profile Sunshine Coast locals volunteering their time while he was doing Urban Angels Christmas hamper appeal deliveries.
“When I rocked up to Urban Angels to drop off the donations, I never expected to see (former) Sunshine Coast Lightning CEO Danielle Smith lending a hand during what was one of the busiest periods for our charity services,” he said.
“Then I turned around and ran into Gail Hogan, a former assistant police commissioner who was the head of the QPS State Crime Operations Command back when I was just a young detective. Gail was also there as a volunteer, helping out Urban Angels, packing the hampers.
“While I know the Sunshine Coast has a wonderful volunteer community who come from every walk of life, I was just surprised to run into two people who have already contributed so much in their professional lives.”
Mr Purdie said volunteers were often the anonymous faces behind the public profiles of charities such as Urban Angels.
Entries open for renamed art prize
Artists have until February 2 to vie for their place among 40 local artists in the newly named Local Contemporary Art Prize 2024: Reflections on Here and Now.
Originally known as Local Artist, Local Content, the annual art prize was created by the Friends Regional Gallery Caloundra Inc (‘Friends’) in 2014. Now in its 10th year, the prize has been given fresh energy via its new name Local Contemporary Art Prize, reflecting the here and now of artists living and working on the Sunshine Coast.
“This art prize and the resulting exhibition are essential to support our increasingly flourishing Sunshine Coast arts ecology,” Cr Rick Baberowski said.
Caloundra Regional Gallery, in partnership with the Gallery’s Friends, invites artists in the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, working across all mediums, to submit 2D and 3D works for the Local Contemporary Art Prize 2024.
Forty finalists will be selected for the exhibition and winners will share in $17,000 prize money. The winners will be announced on Thursday, March 21.
Funding boost is music to industry’s ears
Three local groups have received significant funding that expected to help them develop and deliver a diverse program of arts experiences.
The Eumundi School of Music, Anywhere Festival and The Sunshine Coast Chamber Music Festival are the latest beneficiaries of Sunshine Coast Council’s Creative Industries Investment Program. Council allocated $90,000 to support three creative initiatives across two years, following a rigorous application process.
“Ultimately, we want our region to be known for the local creation of inspiring content and where more arts practitioners can make a living,” Councillor Rick Baberowski said:
Eumundi School of Music received funding to help deliver its ‘Inspiring musical journeys for young artists’ initiative; a 10-week scholarship program offering free mentoring, stagecraft lessons, and live gig experiences to young musicians already playing music.
Anywhere Festival was funded for its ‘Creating performance makers Anywhere program’ which supports 10 emerging and established local independent performance making groups. And Sunshine Coast Chamber Music Festival will deliver an innovative program of bespoke events staged in stunning natural locations and intimate venues across the region.
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