December 1, 2020
Leo Geraghty – the man who led Murgon’s Business and Development Association (MBDA) for the past 14 years – has stepped down as president.
His position will be filled by well-known Murgon businessman Mark Smith, who has been the Association’s vice-president since 2018.
At the MBDA’s recent Annual General Meeting, Leo told members he was very pleased to see significant progress in the town over the past year.
Projects recently concluded or ready to begin include Murgon’s new CBD footpaths; Murgon RSL’s new drop-in centre; and the town’s $1.5 million Fossil Museum and Art Gallery.
While drought continues to affect the district’s farming community, Leo said a recent study looking at the South Burnett’s future water supplies had suggested upgrading Barlil Weir as a top tier project for government to examine.
Murgon’s Saleyards had also enjoyed a very strong year.
Yallakool Tourist Park had reopened on August 1 after an enforced COVID-19 lockdown, and visitor numbers have grown substantially month-on-month ever since.
A recent Troy Cassar-Daley concert held at Yallakool had also sold out, Leo said, which was compensation for the pandemic-prompted cancellation of this year’s Murgon Music Muster.
And he had heard reports from the town’s real estate agents that property sales in the district were booming.
Leo said he would continue to edit Murgon Moments, the monthly community magazine he helped to establish 14 years ago, and continue to run his Clifton Motors car dealership.
But after so many years as the MBDA’s president, he felt it was time to step aside to allow others to experiment with new ideas and approaches.
Incoming president Mark Smith thanked Leo for his many years of dedicated service to the town and the many initiatives he had either pioneered or lent the MBDA’s support to.
Mark was a founding member of the Murgon Businessman’s Association – which later merged with the Murgon Development Association to form the MBDA – and played a key role in organising the town’s Christmas Fair until unstable December weather forced it to morph into an Easter event.
Mark said one initiative he would like to introduce are evening Meet and Greets – similar to those run by the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry – which will allow local businesses to mingle and chat informally and socially.
The first of these will be held at the Royal Hotel on Tuesday, December 1.
At the AGM, Margaret Long from Murgon Real Estate was re-elected as secretary and Lorraine Goodchild as treasurer.
Lance Ray will step into the role of vice-president.
