New! Now You Can Follow The QRWN On Facebook 2nd August 2010: If you're a fan of Facebook - and we know lots of our members are! - you can now stay up-to-date with many of our happenings on the QRWN's new Facebook group. The group was created by former QRWN Executive member Lisa Wain. This year Lisa is running the Bush Business Online programme through her company Cre8You in the South Burnett, North Burnett, Gympie, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast. Bush Business Online is part of the Federal Government's Small Business Online program through AusIndustry. And Lisa's team show small businesses how to get on the web and - in particular - how to take advantage of social media like Facebook and Twitter to raise their profile. So it was only natural for Lisa to suggest that the QRWN should do the same! You can join the QRWNs Facebook group by clicking here (but if you don't already have a Facebook account, you'll need to create one first. However, it's easy and completely free - just click here) Photo: QRWN Board members met for their regular general meeting at Westpac Toowoomba on Monday 26th July where our new Facebook group was one of the agenda items discussed. From left: Carolyn Stone (QRWN Administration); Joe Hannant (Westpac Bank Manager); and Wendy Agar (QRWN President).

New $2M Funding Program For Rural Community Building Projects 29th July 2010: Got a great idea for a worthwhile project for your community but need funding to get it going? If so, then you should take a look at the Queensland State Government's new Tomorrow’s Regions programme. This initiative was announced by Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Minister Tim Mulherin on July 14th. The new program brings together Blueprint for the Bush and Regional Development Australia and it includes a new $2M funding program for rural community building projects. Communities outside South East Queensland and outside the major regional centres will be eligible to apply for the funding to implement projects that improve the economic, social and cultural capacity of their regions. You can register your interest in the funding right now by emailing Blueprint@deedi.qld.gov.au. Further details regarding the application process (including the eligibility criteria and program guidelines) will be available following announcement of the funding round dates.

Be There Or Be Square: Wearable Art Workshop In Charleville This Saturday and Sunday 24th-25th July 2010 22nd July 2010: Interested in wearable art? If you are, then get along to the Charleville Cultural Centre at 96 Alfred Street this weekend and take part in our great Wearable Art Workshop. Robyn Adams - an experienced costumier - will be helping all those that attend to make what she likes to term as "Green Rubbish Costumes". These are costumes made using found and discarded materials that have an inherent recycle and reuse message. The resultant wearable items - such as dresses, skirts, tops, headwear, decorated bras or used clothing - make great entertaining parade items (such as those shown last year at the Charleville Races - see photo at right). A collection of costumes from previous workshops held out west were also very successfully paraded at the QRWN State Conference in Toowoomba last year (you can see a selection of these in our Photo Gallery). So this is a great chance to make some interesting costumes with Robyn Adams guiding and assisting with construction and making your ideas workable and wearable. To take part, all you need to do is bring some materials and some lunch to the Cultural Centre on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th July (9:00am to 5:00pm both days) and then get set to enjoy making wearable art with a green message (and also for the upcoming QRWN State Conference that will be held in Charleville this September). You can find out more by phoning Robyn on (07) 4651-0939 or (0447) 179-974 or by emailing her. Otherwise, just turn up!

Having An Office Meltdown? Learn How To Run An Efficient Farm Office... And Have Fun Doing It! 9th July 2010: Is your farm office driving you crazy??? If it is, then the QRWN and Partners In Grain can help you with a fun day full of useful tips and information on every aspect of running an efficient farm office. Most of us dislike spending hours in the office. But after receiving feedback from farmers saying they seemed to be spending more and more of their time desk-bound, Partners in Grain decided to organise workshops to show how to free up time in a farming business. The workshops teach systems that reduce the amount of time spent on office work and improve office efficiency - all in a fun and interesting way. Presenter Jeanette Buegge - a farmer from Bruce Rock - draws on years of experience as the farm office manager in her farm business when she prsents this course. She also has experience in different office situations as a QA auditor and office manager with her local shire council. Jeannette stresses the importance of being ruthless about what you keep in your office. Part of her presentation is how to de-clutter any farm office and set up effective systems. The design and layout of the office system is a key to this success. And once a system is in place, procedures need to he adhered to by everyone in the business to help keep it that way. So one of the workshop activities is for each participant to redesign their current office. “If you can’t find your desk, need to borrow your child’s stapler or can’t remember the last time you had a mail system let alone a farm meeting, “ Jeanette says,” then these workshops are designed for you!” The first set of workshops was held in Gympie, Gayndah, Monto, Kingaroy and Clifton in late May/ealy June this year and they were a great success. Donna Fitch - a dairy farmer from Kulpi - said "This was the best course I've done in years. Our business has grown but we’re still doing the same things in the office that we did 10 years ago. I’m now equipped with a much better system!" So a new set of workshops will be held in Dirranbandi, Bollon, Surat, Miles and Pittsworth in early August - and you can get a PDF flyer with about them listing venues, times and more details by clicking here.

Learn How To Use Your GPS At Gin Gin, Mundubbera And Kingaroy In July! 29th June 2010: Do you have a GPS (ie Global Positioning System) but don't really know how to use it? Or are you thinking about buying a GPS but are unsure about what it can do? Then Agforce are running three one-day seminars in July that are just what the doctor ordered! Agforce Projects will be delivering a free one-day "GPS Essentials" course at Gin Gin, Mundubbera and Kingaroy on the 6th, 7th and 8th July respectively. Each course will run from 8:45am to 4:00pm and it will teach you how to set up a GPS correctly; how to work with waypoints and tracks to navigate better on-property; how to measure areas and distances with your GPS; and even how to download and upload information from your GPS into a property computer mapping program to assist with mapping, regulatory requirements and more. Workshop participants will also receive hands-on assistance with their own GPS; get a GPS glovebox guide illustrating how to use different GPS units; and a certificate of participation which can go towards a nationally accredited Certificate IV in Conservation and Land Management. You can obtain a PDF flyer about these courses and how to register for a seat at one by clicking here

Inventive Rural Women Honoured At 2010 RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year Awards 15th June 2010: Last month Queensland-born (now WA based) Sue Middleton took out the national RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year award. Sue’s project - to harvest energy from piggery waste - will have implications for every state, as will the runner-up’s project: Alana Johnson from Victoria, who's establishing a philanthropic foundation for agriculture to support itself into the future. The Queensland winner and runner up - Sharyn Garrett and Jane Milburn - were in great company with over 400 people gathered in the Great Hall of Parliament House. The evening was the culmination of a week of workshops and training for the state winners and runners up. The awards are now supported by QRWN’s partner Westpac and this media release is a fantastic way to work with Sharyn Gordon and her team. The QRWN certainly appreciates the support we receive from many of the executive team, and also the recognition that Westpac provides our members! We'd also like to thank DEEDI for their continued support and coordination of the RUIRDC awards in Queensland – Kaye Nunan and her team do an outstanding job. Start thinking today about a woman you know (maybe it’s you!) who could nominate this year! Photpo: 2010 RIRDC Rural Woman of the Year runner-up Alan Johnson (left), Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Tony Burke and 2010 RIDC Rural Woman of the Year winner Sue Middleton at last month's gala award presentation ceremony in Canberra.

Want A Healthier Heart? Then Take Part In The Go Red Videoconference On June 11th 1st June 2010: Heart disease is the number one killer of Australian women – a fact most women don’t know. But Women’s Health Queensland Wide and the Heart Foundation are working together to educate Queensland women about their risk of cardiovascular disease - and what steps they can take to reduce their risk - with an innovative live videoconference that will be held throughout rural Queensland on Friday 11th June 2010 between 10:00am and 11:30am. This live videoconference will include 4 presentations: Women and heart disease myth busters and the warning signs of a heart attack by Heart Foundation Health Director, Rachelle Foreman   Nicotine replacement therapy and heart health: how it works, what it costs, problems with quitting, smoking and the pill by Lyn Baucia, Pharmacist, nicotine addiction and smoking cessation expert, Smoking Cessation Solutions   Reading food labels by Women’s Health Queensland Wide Health Promotion Officer Bronwyn Buckley, and   Sedentary lifestyle and heart health with some audience participation by Genevieve Healy, NHMRC, School of Population Health, University of Queensland The videoconference is completely free and it will be held in 11 regional centres right around the State. If you'd like to take part, you can reserve seats by contacting the closest centre to you as shown in the table below: Town Contact Phone Email Cardwell Susarah Roux, Clinical Nurse (07) 4063 6302 Click here Charters Towers Amelia Covey, Senior Physiotherapist (07) 4787 5585 Click here Chinchilla Gina Campion, Healthy Lifestyle Officer - Rhealth (07) 4669 1807 Click here Daby Anne Todd, Community Health Nurse (07) 4672 4000 Click here Goondiwindi Kirsty Dowling (07) 4670 0700 Click here Hughenden Cathy Basmadjian, DON (07) 4741 2800 Click here Innisfail Deborah Allen, Cardiac Rehabilitation Co-Ord (07) 4061 9177 Click here Mitchell Anne Doyle, Senior Indigenous Health Worker (07) 4623 1277 Click here Roma Kathy Morrow, Program Co-ord Healthy Lifestyles (07) 4505 1536 Click here St George Heather Scriven, Social Worker & Lea Green, Therapy Assistant (07) 4620 2264 Click here Wondai Beth Temple, Clinical Nurse (0447) 242 245 Click here

Revellers With A Cause Unite For Western Flood Relief 20th May 2010: The devastating floods which hit central and western Queensland in March this year brought additional misery to many rural families already battling after several years of drought. And with such as widespread disaster, Government funding - while welcome - has only gone part-way to helping flood victims rebuild their lives. Many people have simply fallen through the cracks. But the tiny community of Thallon near St George isn't sitting on its hands. This year the famous Nindigully Bachelor and Spinster Association are pitching in to help, donating profits from the iconic event to help Thallon and district residents rebuild their lives. The March flood hit the northern side of the Thallon township the hardest, with water entering 4 houses, 2 businesses, the local school and Grain Corp. Many other families in the area lost property or suffered damaged due to the inundation. So the B&S Ball committee's first aim is to help these families and businesses and - if enough money is raised - they'd also like to hold a thankyou party for all the volunteers who worked hard to save what could be saved. The B&S Ball will be held at the Nindigully Community Hall on Saturday 12th June this year. Prepaid tickets can be purchased online at http://countrybns.com for $65 or or $75 at the gate. The tickets include supper and breakfast, sticker and ear tag, stubby cooler and four drinks. The bar will open at 4pm with black tie and the band will hit the stage at 6.30pm. You can get a press release about this great rural community fundraiser by clicking here Photo: Thallon was hit hard by the floods in March. But the local community are rallying round to meet the needs that Government assistance couldn't.

Having An Office Meltdown? Learn How To Run An Efficient Farm Office... And Have Fun Doing It! 16th May 2010: Is your farm office driving you crazy??? If it is, then the QRWN and Partners In Grain can help you with a fun day full of useful tips and information on every aspect of running an efficient farm office. Most of us dislike spending hours in the office. But after receiving feedback from farmers saying they seemed to be spending more and more of their time desk-bound, Partners in Grain decided to organise workshops to show how to free up time in a farming business. The workshops teach systems that reduce the amount of time spent on office work and improve office efficiency in a fun and interesting way. Most workshop participants say that after taking one they've been inspired to make changes that streamline their bookwork and reduce the clutter in what's still a paper-based business world. Presenter Jeanette Buegge - a farmer from Bruce Rock - draws on years of experience as the farm office manager in her farm business when she prsents this course. She also has experience in different office situations as a QA auditor and office manager with her local shire council. Jeannette stresses the importance of being ruthless about what you keep in your office. Part of her presentation is how to de-clutter any farm office and set up effective systems. The design and layout of the office system is a key to this success. And once a system is in place, procedures need to he adhered to by everyone in the business to help keep it that way. So one of the workshop activities is for each participant to redesign their current office. “If you can’t find your desk, need to borrow your child’s stapler or can’t remember the last time you had a mail system let alone a farm meeting, “ Jeanette says,” then these workshops are designed for you!” The workshops will be held in Gympie, Gayndah, Monto, Kingaroy and Clifton between Monday 31st May and Friday 4th June 2010. You can get a PDF flyer with venues, times and more details by clicking here. Photo: Qld PinG Coordinator Theresa Kunde and State Chair Liz Hill are working together with the QRWN to help present the Office Meltdown seminar series on the last day in May and first week of June.

Wearable Art: See Our Online Fashion Parade! 6th May 2010: If you attended the QRWN 2009 State Conference in Toowoomba, you'll remember that one of the big highlights of the event was the Wearable Art Fashion Parade. Wearable Art has become a signature QRWN event and last year's State Conference drew a record number of entries from our talented and creative members. But whether you attended the Conference or not, you can now view the highlights of this spectacular fashion parade right here on our website. Today we've posted a photo gallery of the event, all shot for us by Toowoomba's incredibly talented Kelly D Photography (thankyou so much, Kelly!). And you can view it right now by clicking here. The next Wearable Art spectacular will be held at the 88th annual Burrandowan Picnic Races which are being held at the historic Burrandowan Race Course about 60km north-west of Kingaroy on Saturday 8th May. QRWN members will be adding a special flavour to this iconic Queensland racing event in 2010. And if you're looking for a great day out we highly recommend it!