June 19, 2017
The South Burnett will soon have an alternative local nightly TV news service, guests at the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce And Industry’s June Meet’n’Greet heard on Monday night.
The meeting was held at Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit-FM radio studios in Glendon Street.
Zac Nanscawen, the Toowoomba region General Manager for Southern Cross Austereo’s TV and radio network, told KCCI members the company planned to start operating a local news service on Southern Cross Nine.
The nightly one-hour bulletin will start on August 14 at 6:00pm.
The news service will cover Toowoomba, the Southern Downs, Western Downs and South Burnett.
Zac said the company also planned to broaden its radio and TV platforms by adding digital services, offering website building and social media management services to clients, as well as radio and TV advertising.
WIN-TV and 7 Toowoomba also broadcast local TV news bulletins.
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The South Burnett had received a lot of good news since the KCCI’s last Meet and Greet six weeks ago, KCCI president Rob Fitz-Herbert told the meeting.
Highlights included the announcement of $62 million funding for a new Kingaroy Hospital; an application by Bunnings for a $15 million retail development near Rogers Drive; and an extra $20 million in other development applications currently being assessed by the South Burnett Regional Council.
Other positive news included the return of employees to the Swickers; a forecast $108 million spend by the State Government on local projects in the coming financial year; and a surprise $180,000 fillip for works at the region’s race clubs.
Just recently an estimated crowd of 14,000 attended the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival, many of whom travelled through the South Burnett to get there; the Mayor’s Gala Charity Ball raised $56,000 to purchase specialist medical equipment for the Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital; and Downer generously donated $20,000 to assist four local charities.
There are also plans by Pursers Coaches to open a Hello World travel agency in the Alford Street premises formerly occupied by Loot Homewares; a new owner at Peppertree Cabins; and new owners taking over South Burnett Garage Doors after current owners Derek and Tania Charlwood decided to retire.
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Kingaroy Shoppingworld’s new Muffin Break store should be open by mid-August, Centre Manager Karen Hugg told the meeting.
Fit-out work on the new store is expected to begin in mid-July and the opening is planned for August 15.
Robinson’s Newsagency will also be expanding into a “super newsagency” in the near future, taking more space in the shopping centre to accommodate a wider range of stationery, giftware, cards and magazines.
McConaghy Retail’s $600,000 refit of the centre’s toilets is also expected to be completed shortly, and most of the work was undertaken using local tradespeople.
Karen also told the meeting that after 12 years managing Kingaroy Shoppingworld, she will be moving to manage McConaghy Retail’s Lismore Square, a large shopping complex in northern NSW with four major tenants and 80 specialty shops.
Christopher O’Rourke, who formerly worked for BGA AgriServices, will be taking over her role.
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The South Burnett Regional Council’s new Senior Economic Development Officer Craig Tunley told the meeting he will be replacing outgoing Economic Development Manager Phil Harding on June 30.
Mr Tunley said he has now been in the role three weeks, familiarising himself with current projects and looking at potential new ones.
He was currently meeting local business groups and individual businesses, and looked forward to future meetings with KCCI members to discuss economic development issues.
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The location of the next KCCI Meet’n’Greet has yet to be decided, but it will be held in Kingaroy on July 31.
The six-weekly meetings are open to all South Burnett businesses – whether they’re KCCI members or not – and are held at a different local business each time.
A $10 meeting fee applies to cover the cost of drinks and nibbles.
Businesspeople who would like more information about the KCCI can visit the KCCI website or email KCCI Secretary Paula Greenwood
