April 21, 2016
A case of Dengue Fever found in the Murgon and Kingaroy areas appears to have a been a one-off, Cr Danita Potter told Wednesday’s Council meeting.
Queensland Health notified the SBRC a person had reported with the disease at Murgon Hospital just before Easter.
Dengue Fever is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Typically, a person will develop symptoms four days after being bitten by an infected mosquito when the dengue virus builds up to high levels in their bloodstream.
Levels will then remain high for the following 5-12 days.
Cr Potter said when Council was notified of the disease, Environmental Services officers inspected houses in Murgon and Kingaroy where the person had stayed, as well as Murgon Hospital.
No mosquitoes were found at any of the locations, but potential breeding sites identified during the inspections were treated as a precaution.
Cr Potter said it appeared the affected person had been bitten outside the region and because the period for concern over potential transmission of the disease had passed, Council has resumed its regular maintenance and monitoring program.
This will continue until May 27, the end of the mosquitoes’ breeding season.
* * *
First 5 Forever programs held at the South Burnett’s libraries, along with Rhyme Time and Story Time sessions, have grown substantially over the last year, Cr Potter said.
In 2014 when the First 5 Forever program was introduced in Queensland, local libraries delivered 103 sessions.
But last year this expanded to 187 sessions, and attendance numbers grew by almost 39 per cent.
This is more than double the State-wide average increase of 16 per cent.
* * *
Despite Federal Government funding cutbacks to the National Film and Sound Archive, the South Burnett’s popular annual film festival has been saved.
Cr Potter told Wednesday’s Council meeting that thanks to the generosity of Nanango’s Heritage Community Branch, the former Big Screen Film Festival will now be known as the Heritage Bank Nanango Film Festival, but all other aspects will remain the same.
This year’s Film Festival will be screened at the Nanango Cultural Centre from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29.
As usual, the film festival will focus on new release Australian movies, and a famous Australian actor will be coming to the South Burnett as a special guest.
* * *
The fourth round of the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) opened on April 11 and the RADF Committee will be accepting grant applications until Friday, May 13.
RADF exists to support the professional development of South Burnett artists through funding training courses and arts projects.
The Fund is jointly supported by the State Government and the South Burnett Regional Council, and funding criteria and application forms can be found on the SBRC’s website.
* * *
A recent Skate Park Day at the Murgon skate park was “an overwhelming success” with large numbers of young – and some not so young – skaters coming along to enjoy the day’s events.
The event was jointly organised by CTC Youth Services, the South Burnett PCYC and Council’s Healthy Communities committee to mark National Youth Week.
The Skate Park has become a popular venue for Murgon’s young people since it was built by Council in 2013.
* * *
The first Mayor’s Community Breakfast since the March elections will be held at Kingaroy’s Town Common Hall at 6:30am on Friday, April 29.
Famous former swimmer Tracey Wickham, who won gold in both the 400m and 800m events at the 1978 and 1982 Commonwealth Games, will be a special guest speaker.
The breakfast will also launch this year’s South Burnett Relay For Life effort, which has raised almost $1 million for cancer research over the last decade.
Proceeds from the Mayor’s Breakfasts go to the Mayor’s Community Benefit Fund, which distributes grants to South Burnett community groups who might not otherwise receive funding from traditional sources.
For catering purposes, bookings for the breakfast are essential.
They can be made by phoning Council on (07) 4189-9155.
