Sergeant Gary Ricks with QGAP’s Judy Phipps at Maleny Police Station

Range residents can now access a wide range of Queensland Government services at the Maleny Police Station with the opening of a QGAP office in the building. These services are additional to the ongoing local community policing and the existing provision of drivers and weapons licences.
Officer-in-charge Sergeant Gary Ricks said “Having the QGAP office in such a central location as the police station provides convenience and accessibility for residents needing the services of Queensland Government agencies, without having to travel off the Range”.
QGAP Manager Judy Phipps is employed by the Queensland Police Service and she is also a qualified Justice of the Peace. Judy has received Queensland Transport training to assist with the range of services offered by this Government Department. Ongoing exposure to the range of other services available from QGAP will ensure that the local residents will be serviced effectively. QGAP Maleny is also an agent for Suncorp Metway, NRMA & QBE Insurance companies and Judy is able to provide CTP (Compulsory Third Party Insurance) when required.
Some of the services available for various Government Departments include Births Deaths & Marriages; Electoral Commission, Roll applications, pre-poll activities; Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Receipt of fines, Justice of the Peace (Qual) duties; Office of Fair Trading; Office of State Revenue, Receipt of taxes, stamp duty payroll etc; Public Trustee, Receipt of rent and other payments, assisting with Enduring Power of Attorney etc; Queensland Ambulance information, Seniors Card applications; Workplace Health and Safety, registrations.
Information is also available from Commonwealth Government offices including; Australian Taxation Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Immigration and Multi-Cultural Affairs, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The QGAP office is open 9am - 2pm Mon, Wed and Friday at Maleny Police Station, 49 Maple Street Maleny. Ph 54296293

Kaylee Mackenzie and sister at King Ludwig’s enjoying their Apex Escape

The remarkable Apex Escape program has helped more than 120 patients with their carers and sometimes their children to take a break from their around-the-clock responsibilities.
Apex Escape was established 15 years ago by John Kenney and Tim Bagshaw following the death of John’s wife, Claire, who lost her life following a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Just before Claire’s bone marrow transplant, the Leukaemia Foundation organised a two day getaway at a top hotel in Brisbane for John and Claire. This would be the last time that the young couple would have time alone together.
Following Claire’s death, John spoke of how significant this time was for them both, and wanted to establish a program that would allow others who were going through extreme emotional and physical pain to have an opportunity to get away from it all, even if just for a short time.
Tim Bagshaw has been an outstanding promoter and manager of Apex Escape since its inception, along with the Apex Club of Maleny which embraced this very special project.
Apex Escapes are funded through money raised every year from the Maleny Business Directory.
An Apex Escape involves a 2 or 3 night stay at a B&B or cottage in the Maleny district and dinner for the family at one of the local restaurants.
For those families with children a $100 voucher is provided at Colin James Fine Foods in lieu of the restaurant meal.
Wittacork Dairy Cottages, Arley Farm, The Terrace of Maleny, Colin James Fine Foods and King Ludwig’s German Restaurant, have all been generous supporters of the Apex Escapes program.
The aim of the Club is to do 10-15 Escapes each year, and more if there is a need.

Chris Francis and Annette Bezear, the two new members of the team at Maleny Physiotherapy

With an aim to better serving their clientiele, Maleny Physiotherapy is now offering two brand new services. Chris Francis will be doing massage on Tuesday and Thursday morning and Annette Bezear will be the women’s health specialist.
Chris has both a Certificate IV and a Diploma of Remedial Massage and is registered with all major health funds. “My aim is to promote better mobility and pain management through hands-on work. I have a passion for creating better health and well-being.” said Chris. Traditionally massage has been used in the treatment of many different medical conditions and has proved to be most beneficial for backpain, chronic pain, headaches, arthritis, insommnia, anxiety and depression.
Research has now confirmed that massage alters the very cell structure of the body, promoting the production of chemicals which act to relieve both stress and pain, as well as increasing the body’s immune capacity. After massage, patients will experience reduced muscle tension, improved circulation, increased joint mobility and flexibility and faster healing of soft tissue injuries. Chris specialises in myofascial release as well as trigger point therapy.

Annette demonstrates the real time diagnostic ultrasound on a patient.

Annette Bezear is a physiotherapist with 25 years experience. She has undertaken further education in the area of Women’s Health and specifically female incontinence and pelvic floor retraining. Annette’s communication skills and depth of understanding of women’s health issues will make your visit a comfortable and positive experience. “A large number of women are suffering from this embarrassing condition and are reluctant to speak to anyone about it, opting to put up with the problem rather than addressing it. This is a concern that will not go away, and in fact will probably get worse as they age. Symptoms can be greatly relieved or even cured without surgical intervention.” said Annette. “Recent studies have revealed that physiotherapy management of stress urinary incontinence is not only risk free, but an effective form of treatment, with an up to 84% success rate.”
At Maleny Physiotherapy a real time diagnostic ultrasound is used to demonstate to the patient the specific muscles they need to engage and strengthen. Patients can then see on the display how effective they are in activating the pelvic floor muscles. A combination of diagnostic ultrasound and education and retraining strategies can successfully assist many patients affected by this condition.
No referral is required for either of these new services, nor does the patient need to be an existing client of Maleny Physiotherapy.
To book your appointment please phone 5494 3911 or call into the clinic at Shop 1/70 Maple St, Maleny.

Maleny Commerce President Stephen Dittmann, Secretariat co-ordinator Carrie Shaw with sponsor Tim Bagshaw

Today more than ever there is a growing recognition of the importance of developing close relationships between businesses.
Building on their previous success Maleny Commerce is once again hosting Hinterland Connects, allowing both Hinterland and Coastal businesses to meet and open up valuable business opportunities.
This is an important event for businesses to attend, allowing them to not only engage with all levels of government, but to meet and discover the diversity of businesses in the local area. Maleny Commerce President Stephen Dittmann says ‘Success is in our ability to build relationships. Many of our members want to learn to network more effectively, so we have created this event help them develop this skill.’
Networking guru, Geoff Butler from Vestra Business Advantage, attended the last Hinterland Connects and says “It’s important to remember that networking is a form of work, it’s not net-eating or net-drinking.” He attributes the success of Hinterland Connects to the fact that it focuses on teaching people how to effectively network through a series of structured networking activities.
A free workshop, sponsored by Sunshine Coast Enterprises, will also take place prior to networking, titled ‘How to add value to your business’.
The next Hinterland Connects takes place on Tuesday 18th August 2009, 5.30pm - 7.30pm at the Maleny RSL and bookings are essential.
In addition to networking another exciting initiative of Maleny Commerce is an upcoming half day seminar titled ‘Winning in Challenging Times’. This seminar is supporting local businesses by providing short, sharp and professional workshops relevant to the current business environment. Tim Bagshaw from Maleny Physiotherapy is pleased to be one of the sponsors of these practical and informative workshops which include Retaining Profit with Reduced Revenue, The New IR legislation and its Effect on the Small Business Sector, Entity Structures for your Business and Workplace Health & Safety, Working within the Regulatory Framework. The workshop is being held at the Maleny RSL on Tuesday 4th August, 7.00am - 11.00am
For those businesses who are not yet members of Maleny Commerce, now is your chance to join. Simply book in to attend either Hinterland Connects or the ‘Winning in Challenging Times’ seminar and have the opportunity to purchase membership at 50% off the regular price.
For further information on Maleny Commerce and upcoming events visit www.malenycommerce.org.au, email info@malenycommerce.org.au or phone 0438 183 204.

“Hinterland Connects gave me the opportunity to meet other people in small business who may be able to use my services. It was a great way to meet face to face with new people and explain what my business can offer them. People remembered me when they pulled out my business card. I was amazed when I later received some new business. Thank you to the team from Maleny Commerce for the information received on the night.”
Steve Murray

“As a regular networking event attendee, I was recently pleased to attend the inaugural and following HINTERLAND CONNECTS events in Maleny. With the combination of Maleny Commerce, the dynamic team from Vestra and the attendance by in access of 100 likeminded business people - the events were a huge success and very well run. Like thousands of business people on The Sunshine Coast, I run my business from home and the contacts gained at such an event are invaluable. Well done to all from Hinterland Connects.”
Geoff Stephens - deSIGNa total graphics services

U/16 team members in the old clubhouse.

Thanks to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s Grant Scheme, Palmwoods Western and District Junior Rugby League Football Club are now on the way to a new clubhouse. “The grant of $38,000 will go a long way toward building a much larger clubhouse”, said Alan Mewton, president of the club. With over 200 players from Under 7 to seniors, we have well and truly outgrown our present clubhouse.”
Young people interested in joining the club should go along to the games on a weekend or phone Alan on
0407 498 940 for more details.
The new clubhouse will be well utilised. During the day from Monday to Friday, Compass Education and Training will be sharing the space. Compass conducts post school training in life skills for young people with disabilities.

Ethical investing:  ‘Has doing good, done better?’ ‘Which ethical investments are right for me?’ Come and find out.  Australian Ethical Investments and Ethical Investment Advisers host a seminar and light supper, in the Deck Room, Tranquil Park Resort at 6.15pm.  Entry is free of charge.  RSVP to Karen on 07) 3876 2377 by Thursday 23^rd July.  For more information: www.australianethical.com.au or www.ethicalinvestment.com.au

If we can bring ourselves to put aside our idea of the Sunshine Coast as a great swathe of unsullied beach reaching from Caloundra to Double Island Point, and envisage it, rather, as a City of some 390 000 souls*, then where might we imagine its centre to be? Where would we find its heart? Could it be Hastings Street, Noosa? Bulcock Street, Caloundra? I’m not being utterly facetious: Is it really Sunshine Plaza?
Now, I know you’re probably asking why we need to have a centre at all. Why can we not simply leave the Sunshine Coast defined by its beaches and its hinterland, its laid-back, quintessentially Queensland atmosphere?
I think the answer lies in the size of its urban footprint. No matter how we like to think of ourselves, we are no longer living in beach shacks, surfing the break off Point Cartwright or Granite Bay. The Sunshine Coast is fast becoming an extended and somewhat amorphous mass, almost a hundred kilometres in length, a conglomerate of hastily built shopping centres and suburbs, punctuated by vast industrial areas, a place not defined by its natural values, but one in which these values are squeezed in between the built environment.
I would like to argue that we require, amongst all this, some public expression of what it is that we, the people who inhabit this area, aspire to. We need some sort of public architecture.
Now, public architecture is expensive, it is often contentious, but it serves important roles. Primarily it sets the bar for everything else. At the moment the standard for what we expect from a building in these parts is determined not by what is possible, not by how beautiful, elegant and practical a building can be, but by how cheaply and quickly it can be erected, and for how much we can sell it on to the next unsuspecting wave of arrivals.
Our public schools are akin to demountables, our community halls like aircraft hangers, our bus-stations … oh God, our bus stations … think of the great rail stations of the world, Waterloo, the Gare du Nord, even Central Station in Sydney. Recall how it was to step into one of these places, that sense of having arrived somewhere. Compare that, if you will, to the bus shelter in the underground carpark at Sunshine Plaza.
Public architecture has the capacity to change the way we feel about ourselves. Bilbao is a classic example: Before the Guggenheim came to that city it was utterly demoralised, devastated by thirty years of virtual civil war. The construction of the art gallery transformed the place, single-handedly giving the citizens a reason to feel proud, and turning the city into a tourist mecca, bringing untold wealth and prestige to the whole region.
We don’t necessarily need to go that far here, but it is worth considering what a show of civic pride might do for ourselves and our children, what a demonstration of the common wealth might achieve.
Several years ago a disastrous choice was made - to build Sunshine Coast University out in a paddock instead of in the centre of Maroochydore. It was a decision made for those same sad, lame, awful reasons they’re always made: land was cheap and someone could make a dollar by putting it at Sippy Downs.
We’re faced with a similar problem/opportunity today: where will we put our new combined Regional Council? Will we be courageous enough to consider a building that gives definition to this new city of ours, with a square attached that includes an arts precinct that celebrates who we are, the whole thing placed somewhere in the thick of things? Instead of more tilt-up concrete bunkers, can we dare to imagine something that lifts our hearts and souls?

*Planned population for 2010 according to the SEQ Regional Plan.
Hanrahan