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Karen Takes Over Reins At Bell Tower July 3, 2008 - Former employee Karen Bradwell has taken over the reins at the Bell Tower Restaurant on the Booie Range. Brad Clark, who has managed the restaurant for the past few years with his wife Megan, is remaining as Executive Head Chef while Megan is taking the opportunity to spend more time with the couple's young children. Karen has spent more than 20 years in the food industry, including a 10-year stint with Collins Food International where she acted as a relief manager in the company's KFC stores throughout Queensland. The Bell Tower's opening hours will remain the same at present however Karen has long-term plans to also open on Mondays.

New Edition Of Popular Touring Guide July 2, 2008 - Another new tourism publication has hit the streets this week ... the latest edition of the popular Touring The South Burnett touring guide (right). Published by the South Burnett Times, the 2008 edition includes street maps of each South Burnett town, the latest wine and food trail map and a handy centrespread road map of the entire South Burnett region. Attractions are listed in each town as well as short histories. Copies are available at local Visitor Information Centres as well as the South Burnett Times office.

Bottle-O Opens Beside SupaIGA July 1, 2008 - The Kingaroy Hotel-Motel has opened a bottleshop beside the new SupaIGA supermarket in Avoca Street, Kingaroy. The bottleshop, part of The Bottle-O chain, is open Monday-Friday from 10:00am-7:00pm and Saturday-Sunday from 10:00am-5:00pm. Both SupaIGA and the Kingaroy Hotel-Motel are involved in this year's PCA Peanut Festival, which will be held at the Showgrounds on August 2. SupaIGA are sponsoring the Queensland Strong Man Games in the main arena which will include bag stack and drag, farmers walk, rock lift and peanut toss competitions. Kingaroy Hotel-Motel has organised a special Gunslingers & Saloon Girls Party which will be held after the Festival from 7:30pm. Download the full Peanut Festival program here

Kingaroy Machinery Centre Moves June 30, 2008 - Kingaroy Machinery Centre has opened its doors in a new location: Unit 1, 12 Kingaroy Street (the former SB Foods building in the Kingaroy Industrial Estate). The move makes way for the development of their old block on the corner of Markwell and Youngman streets for an Aldi supermarket. All contact details for Kingaroy Machinery Centre remain the same. Gympie Cooloola Foods have also opened a depot in the old SB Foods building. Located at Unit 3, 12 Kingaroy Street, the wholesale food service specialises in catering supplies for pubs, clubs, service stations and food outlets. Contact is Kerry Randall, son of former SB Foods founder Barry Randall. GCF is part of the Countrywide national food distribution network. There are no plans for a retail shop to be opened at this stage.

Video Tribute To Kingaroy Shop June 27, 2008 - There's a lot of work behind opening a small business ... something that sometimes only a family member can appreciate. This video tribute to the opening of Shellytop Beads, which is located in the Linard Centre Arcade in Haly Street, Kingaroy, was posted on YouTube earlier this year:

Fun and Games At Shoppingworld June 26, 2008 - Computer game retailer Game has opened its doors at Shop 37 inside the new-look Kingaroy Shoppingworld. Located at the top of the "travelator" moving stairs, Game offers games for PCs, Wii, Nintendo, Xbox, Playstation and PSP. Doors are open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:30pm; Thursdays 8:30am-8:00pm and Saturdays 8:30am-4:00pm. Game can be contacted on (07) 4163-6431 or by email PS. Laubman and Pank are also on the move at Shoppingworld, relocating next door to Game at Shop 38.

New Tourism Guides To Woo Visitors June 25, 2008 - The latest edition of the South East Queensland Country Guide, (right), has been released with information and photographs designed to entice tourists to visit the South Burnett. The guide, which is mailed to subscribers and also available at Visitor Information Centres, features a tear-out South-East Queensland Wine Country map, highlighting the various wine regions (including the South Burnett). The June-August 2008 edition of the South East Queensland Country Club newsletter was also released in conjunction with the Country Guide. This newsletter has a major feature on the South Burnett, highlighting our wineries and cuisine trail.

Home Expo To Launch Land Release June 24, 2008 - Across Country BGA Real Estate & Livestock are organising a Family Home Expo in conjunction with the Swendson Place Land Release at Panorama Parade, Kingaroy. The mini-expo, on Saturday July 12 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, will feature home and trade displays, food stalls, free tea and coffee, face painting, prizes, competitions and a jumping castle. Panorama Parade is located off Harris Road (turn left into Silky Oak Drive, the first street after Clark & Swendsons Road). View Larger Map

Fat Cow Farewells Mal June 23, 2008 - On Friday night, well-known local South Burnett band Fat Cow appeared at Kingaroy's Club Hotel to pay tribute to former band member Mal Matthew who collapsed and died earlier this year at age 49. Mal's death in April was not only a shock to his family and the fans of Fat Cow but also to the many people who knew him through his work at the QDPI&F where he was an industry development officer. Fat Cow posted the following video on MySpaceTV from their Friday night tribute to their much-loved drummer: (click on the play button below to hear the band in action)

Indian Flavour At Murgon June 20, 2008 - Raj Begeda is the face behind Raj's Turf and Tandoori restaurant which has opened inside the The Australian Hotel at 65 Lamb Street, Murgon, 4605. The restaurant offers both Australian and Indian meals and is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Sunday lunches are available by advance booking only. Raj's Turf and Tandoori can be contacted on (07) 4168-2603.

New Life For Old Booie Range Distillery June 19, 2008 - Local businesswoman Bronwyn Bisley has opened a fudgery and function centre in the old Booie Range Distillery building, (right), near Kingaroy. The Old Distillery, located adjacent to the Bell Tower Restaurant, offers gift and home wares as well as being a purveyor of fudge and other fine pantry food. The conference / function area can seat 50. Bronwyn can be contacted on 0417-136-930 or by email [Photo courtesy: Where's The Beef?]

Opportunity For Local Artists June 18, 2008 - The South Burnett Disability Action Group is looking for artists with a disability to exhibit art and craft works at the Kingaroy Art Gallery in September. The works can be in any media and will be included in the Disability Action Week Art Exhibition which will be at the gallery from September 16-30, 2008. For more information, contact Graham House Community Centre, Murgon, on (07) 4168-2828.

Gold Miner Claims 'Significant' Nickel Finds At Black Snake June 17, 2008 - Mining company AusNiCo has reported finding "significant" new nickel-cobalt and gold-copper zones on the Black Snake Plateau, south of Kilkivan. AusNiCo is a subsidiary of D'Aguilar Gold which reported the find to the Australian Stock Exchange yesterday. Earlier this month D'Aguilar Gold announced it had found copper and silver in the nearby Silver Valley on the north-eastern edge of Black Snake Plateau. D'Aguilar is prospecting an area which was the site of some of the earliest copper, gold and silver mines in Queensland. It says it has identified new prospects in the region including Mt Terrible, 500m west of Silver Valley, and Humble Pie, 700m to the north of Silver Valley. June 16 ASX announcement June 2 ASX announcment

Cheesemaking Workshop In Kingaroy This Weekend June 16, 2008 - The next in the popular series of cheesemaking workshops held by local cheesemaker Chris Ganzer will be held in the South Burnett this weekend. The workshop will be held on Saturday June 21 at Kingaroy Cheese's William Street factory. To book email Tracy-Anne or Fiona or phone (07) 4162-5990.

Winter Recipe Release From Cahills June 13, 2008 - The Winter 2008 recipe from Cahills Wines at Booie is now available for download from the company's new website. Owners John and Cindy Cahill have been releasing recipe sheets which feature Cahills boutique wines (available at the Carrollee Hotel, Kingaroy) at the start of every season since 2004. Over the years recipes have included Thai Baby Barbecued Barramundi and Char-Grilled Lamb Cutlets with Pesto. The Winter 2008 recipe is a warming Braised Pork In Red Wine featuring Cahill's Shiraz.

Youth Invited To Share Their Ideas June 12, 2008 - A Youth Expressions Event will be held this Sunday (June 15) in a lead up to the Ministerial Regional Community Forum which will be held in Kingaroy next Monday. The youth event will be held at Kingaroy Youth Park from noon to 3:00pm. Facilitators will provide a variety of activities to encourage young people to share their experiences, thoughts, issues and solutions for our region. Their ideas will be presented to State Government Ministers at the Wide Bay Ministerial Regional Community Forum which will be held at Kingaroy Town Hall on Monday from 9:45am. Local forum members will meet with Queensland MPs Rod Welford, Margaret Keech and Karen Struthers. The forum will discuss youth issues and will again be trialling interactive sessions to identify significant regional issues. For more information, contact Helen Hughes at the Office of Rural & Regional Communities (Wide Bay Burnett) on (07) 4151-9748.

WBBACC Reports On Federal Budget June 11, 2008 - The Wide Bay Burnett Area Consultative Committee has prepared a special Report To Community on the 2008-09 Federal Budget. The report is designed to inform readers of the key aspects of the Budget, including information on the formation of the new Regional Development Australia network which will replace Area Consultative Committees. The Report To Community can be downloaded here (961kb PDF).

Forum To Target Depression June 10, 2008 - The Kingaroy Rotary Club, supported by Incitec and Bean Growers Australia, are hosting a Depression Awareness Forum in Kingaroy next month to provide information on this growing problem. The forum will be held in the Tobruk Room at the Kingaroy RSL Club from 7:00pm on July 16. The forum will provide information about depression, dispel common myths and help people recognise symptoms of depression in their friends, family and workmates. Everyone is welcome and entry is free.

New Council CEO From Whitsundays June 9, 2008 - The new Chief Executive Officer for the South Burnett Regional Council is Tony Hayward, (right), the former CEO of Whitsunday Shire Council and Acting CEO of the merged Whitsunday Regional Council. Tony has had extensive experience in both private enterprise and local government and was formerly a Director of the Whitsunday Development Corporation. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, the Local Government Managers' Australia (Qld) and has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Charles Sturt University and a Graduate Diploma of Management from Central Queensland University. The South Burnett Regional Council engaged a recruitment company to manage the appointment process. Tony was selected by the Council interviewing committee from a shortlist of five male applicants from the more than 20 hopefuls. He replaces Acting CEO Shane Gray who successfully guided Nanango, Murgon, Wondai and Kingaroy shires through the difficult transition process.

Strong Man Games - Eat Our Nuts! June 6, 2008 - The entry forms and competition details for the 2008 SupaIGA Queensland Strong Man Games are available to download now on the new Kingaroy Peanut Festival website. The PCA Kingaroy Peanut Festival will be held on Saturday August 2 at the Kingaroy Showgrounds (the same venue as last year). The date has been brought forward a month to avoid the festival clashing with other South Burnett events and junior sports finals. As well as the Strong Man Games, there'll also be the ever-popular Thresher Pull as well as junior games, rides, entertainment and market stalls. If you are interested in having a stall at the Peanut Festival, please contact Polly Birchall at the KCCI on (07) 4162-8466.