Big Crowd Honours Josie’s Memory

June 28, 2021

Kumbia Hall was packed last Thursday morning for a morning tea with a difference.

The crowd came to Josie’s Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for cancer research … but also to honour the memory of Kumbia’s unofficial “mayor”, Josie McConville, who died in May at the age of 93.

The morning tea was organised by local cancer support group, Birds Of A Feather, which Josie helped found almost two decades ago.

For a modest $10 donation, guests enjoyed a lavish Kumbia morning tea covering everything from sausage rolls to slices, live musical entertainment from members of the Kingaroy Ukesters, and a slideshow of photos outlining highlights of Josie’s life.

And if they were still in any doubt about Josie’s extensive contributions to the Kumbia community, they could also read a detailed coverage of her accomplishments in a recent edition of the Kumbia Party Line newsletter, which was distributed on the day.

Kumbia Party Line editor Steph Stevens told the audience a morning tea to help fundraise for the Queensland Cancer Council had been held at Kumbia Hall for many years.

While it was part of the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea movement, it had become known locally as “Josie’s Morning Tea” because of the amount of work Josie put into organising the small army of volunteers that made the event possible.

Steph said this unofficial name has now been permanently adopted by Birds Of A Feather to honour Josie’s memory, and thanked everyone for turning out to the special day.

She also thanked the many volunteers who had laboured in their kitchens to produce the morning’s treats, or manned the Hall on Thursday to ensure everything ran smoothly.

“Josie would be very proud of you,” Steph said.

• The Birds Of A Feather cancer support group meets every month at Kingaroy RSL and new members are always welcome. You can obtain more information by phoning Steph Stevens on 0419-649-226 or by emailing her

  Kumbia