May 11, 2016
A visit to Murgon by rugby league all-star Gavin Cooper over the Easter weekend helped raise $25,000 for Murgon’s junior rugby league club.
Gavin, who began his career with the Murgon Mustangs, played in the Townsville Cowboys’ 2015 NRL premiership-winning team as well as in their recent 38-4 victory over the Leeds Rhinos in the World Club Challenge.
He was delighted to help raise funds for the latest generation of players in his old home town.
Mark Smith from Mark Smith’s Menswear, who organised the event, told last month’s meeting of the Murgon Business and Development Association (MBDA) that a testimonial dinner held at the South Burnett PCYC in Gavin’s honour had gone very well.
“It was a wonderful night and a great event,” he said.
Mr Smith also thanked Moreton Resources, who had donated $2000 to fund Gavin’s travel expenses.
In the end, Gavin’s travel bill came to $1750 and the remainder went to the Mustangs JRL.
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An estimated 30,000 tourists visited the South Burnett over the Easter break, which was almost equal to the region’s population.
Corey Goldie, the manager of the Yallakool and Lake Boondooma Tourist Parks, told the meeting that Easter bookings at both parks had broken records.
All visitors had been well behaved and things had run smoothly, he said, although there had been a slight hiccup with Yallakool’s swimming pool which was soon fixed.
Mr Goldie also told the group that national bass competitions have been booked into both dams, so the good run of visitors can be expected to continue.
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Kristy Frahm from BIEDO said the recent Burrumbuttock Hay Run to take a 140km long convoy of trucks laden with hay and supplies to drought-stricken farmers in western Queensland was a success.
The South Burnett team involved in the Hay Run had been organised by Paul and Gina Gleich, and support for their efforts in both Murgon and Wondai had been excellent.
Kristy said Wondai’s police had been particularly helpful in escorting the trucks through the town as the local contingent moved out to join other Hay Run participants.
“It is a huge eye-opener to go to places that have been struggling for more than four years without rain,” Kristy said.
“One property we visited has gone from grazing more than 5000 sheep to just 100.”
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The recent donation of a defibrillator to the Murgon community by the Murgon Baptist Church will be assisted by BIEDO.
It will help by facilitating training for using the device, which can help reduce heart attack deaths by as much as 30 per cent if administered promptly.
BIEDO will look at initial training courses, as well as refresher courses further into the future.
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A 1927 silent movie which was shot in Murgon with a leading American actress has become a surprise new attraction at the Queensland Dairy Industry Museum.
Museum chairman Ritchie O’Neill told the MBDA that a number of stills from the movie were now on display, and had drawn favourable comments from visitors.
Mr O’Neill said that the Museum’s visitor numbers were also up, though this was probably more a reflection of bumper Easter weekend tourist numbers than the movie stills.
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Ken Goodhew, from Huston Motors, told the meeting that the company’s Murgon outlet has recently been converted into a Hyundai dealership.
It will be the first Hyundai dealership in the South Burnett, and will save local Hyundai owners from needing to drive to Gympie, Toowoomba or Brisbane if they want dealership servicing, repairs or spare parts.
To mark the launch, the new outlet held an Open Night for MBDA members in late April and an Open Day for the general public soon afterwards.
Mr Goodhew said Huston Motors was proud of its long association with Murgon, and hoped the dealership would add something unique to the town that will assist in drawing visitors from other South Burnett towns to the CBD.
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Marilyn Bird from Job Match told the meeting that while her company’s main offices were located in Kingaroy and Gympie, they also operated an office in Lamb Street for two days each week.
The employment services group cover the entire South Burnett, Marilyn said.
They work with employers to assist them fill vacancies, as well as provide support for employees with disabilities.
Marilyn said there were a number of incentives available for employers, including wage subsidies, and she would be happy to talk with any MBDA member who was looking for new staff to find out their requirements and advise them on the options available.
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The South Burnett Regional Council is still looking for a buyer for the former Murgon Meatworks site, Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff told the meeting.
While this hasn’t been successful yet, she was more hopeful that funding can be arranged for extra car parking to relieve congestion in Cooper Street.
Cr Duff said staff and visitor cars parked in the street had raised concerns about child safety, and creating a car park would improve the situation for both drivers and young pedestrians.
She thought extra security cameras may also be needed in the area.
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The Murgon Business and Development Association represents the businesses and community of Murgon and surrounding districts.
The group hold regular monthly meetings, and new members are always welcome.
The MBDA’s next meeting will be a breakfast meeting at Murgon’s Royal Hotel on Thursday, May 12.
Breakfast is $15, and coffee an extra $4.
More details about MBDA membership can be obtained by contacting MBDA secretary Margaret Long at Murgon Real Estate on (07) 4168-2922 or 0413-488-418.
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