Sunshine Coast Hinterland Times

“Population growth does not equal economic growth”

A quote from the SUNSHINE COAST ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL. The recent tourist season on the Sunshine Coast provides a snapshot of what a resident population of over 500,000 people may look and feel like. The influx of hundreds of thousands of tourists vividly demonstrates the impacts on the liveability and natural values of the Sunshine Coast region [...]

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Links in the Food Chain

THE Sunshine Coast, particularly its Hinterland has, in recent years, taken new directions in the growing of sustainable food ventures as well as the packaging and marketing of local niche food items. So, it was with interest that the Hinterland Times saw the latest edition of the Griffith REVIEW which is devoted to the global food [...]

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What’s Flowering Now?

Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper) One of four species of climbing shrubs from the south pacific. Over time the shrub grows into a woody vine 10 - 12m long. The pale green leaves are oval - oblong and about 12 cm long. The attractive flowers are tubular and grow in clusters, starting with white petals that gradually [...]

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Get behind the walk fest …

HINTERLAND Tourism Sunshine Coast (formerly BRBTA) is planning its next Festival of the Walks for August 20-29 and is calling on community members who would like to get involved. The Festival of the Walks 2010, will include over 24 guided walks aimed at specific interest groups. These will include guided rainforest walks, bird and wildlife walks, [...]

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Why not grow ME instead

WEEDS ARE always with us. Whether they have jumped the garden fence or been deliberately introduced for another purpose, their control occupies much time and consumes substantial financial resources. The Nursery and Garden Industry Australia, NGIA, has been developing the Grow Me Instead program and has published guides for each state and territory. With input from [...]

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In the Wild with Spencer Shaw

Bird attracting plants In the past, when I’ve worked in retail nurseries, on an almost daily basis we would get a customer request for plants that were good for attracting birds. Unfortunately most people’s exposure to native plants that are good for bringing in our feathered friends is from mainstream Australian native gardening books or TV [...]

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Steven’s diary of the Mary River

HINTERLAND AUTHOR, Steven Lang this month launches his published book, “a strong brown god - the mary river diary”. To research and write this book, Steven chose to walk the length of the Mary River from its source in Maleny to the coast at Maryborough. Along the way he was both confronted and delighted with [...]

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Jim Soorley is chairman of new Coast water business … Unitywater

SUNSHINE COAST and Moreton Bay councils have launched their new water business - Unitywater. Unitywater will be one of three water supply and sewerage services distribution and retail businesses established in South East Queensland under the State Government’s water reform measures. It will be independently operated and governed by a board, but jointly owned by [...]

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What’s Flowering Now?

Peltophorum pterocarpum (Yellow flame) From a small genus of about 15 species the Peltophorum is indigenous to a wide area of tropical Asia from Srilanka through Malaysia, Philipines to northern Australia. The tree has a dense crown of ferny foliage atop a massive grey trunk. It grows to a height of over 15m in an [...]

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Water matters …

by Barung Landcare At last it has rained, but whether we rely on tanks or town supplies, water is often a scarce and precious resource. There may be none to spare for watering young trees so it’s a good time to find out which are the true survivors. These become the key species in any future [...]

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