sunday's community tree planting

Boonah is celebrating National Tree Day with a community tree planting at the Helen Houghton Reserve on Sunday July 29, starting at 9am.

Arranged by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) together with Bob and the Houghton family, BOSS secretary Julie Jackson invites members of the community to participate.

“Everyone’s welcome to get involved and plant a tree. It will be a lovely day to get outside and enjoy the winter sunshine in our environment. We’ll be extending on the plantings which so many people were involved in at last year’s official opening. People are also welcome to donate trees as long as they are native, hardy and frost tolerant.”

“After the work is done, we’ll be providing a delicious morning tea to thank participants and allow them to relax and catch up with friends. The morning tea will be over the road at the Organic Shed which will be open and selling organic produce.”

“We thank the Scenic Rim Regional Council who are providing some of the trees, and would also like to recognize the support of Joe Wild and Greening Australia.”

Last year, BOSS was instrumental in working with Council on behalf of the community to have the site named in Helen’s honour.

 “It’s a fitting tribute to Helen’s commitment to the environment and a way to preserve her memory into the future.”

The official opening was celebrated with a naming ceremony, community planting and morning tea on National Tree Day.

Helen was a staunch environmentalist, keen bushwalker, teacher, active member of many community groups and contributor to many community endeavours. In 2008 Helen was diagnosed with cancer and after a brave struggle, passed away in 2009. 

For many years, Helen was involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme in clearing weeds and planting trees at the site, which is situated just outside Boonah on the southern side of the Dugandan Bridge

Every year BOSS conducts a community planting day with the intention to offset carbon emissions created in other activities during the year. These community planting days are now held annually on National Tree Day.

coal and CSG free communities

boonah's anti-fracking day of action

It's world anti-fracking day on Saturday July 28 and we’re marking it in Boonah.

As people gather across the world for Anti-Fracking Day, Boonah’s holding an event with live music and lots of information to raise awareness of the impacts of coal and coal seam gas mining, and of course fracking.

Organised by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) with subcommittee Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic, secretary Julie Jackson invites members of the community to come along and participate in this peaceful day of action in the Council Forecourt in Boonah’s High Street.

“There’s lots happening in our region and Saturday morning provides a good opportunity to show your support and find out about upcoming events and activities.”

“People can learn about how to get involved in our planned Coal and CSG Free Community Declarations, Linda Weston’s 100km Walk against Coal and Gas and find out more about the potential Croftby open cut coal mine.”

“Live music will feature our talented local musicians performing original enviro pop and folk songs such as Pound of Plastic, The Value of Money, and Clean Air by Eat them Like Apples, and Save our Scenic Rim by Linda Weston and Cameron Mitchell.

“It’s our way of recognising Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon’s recently launched Artists against Fracking, an initiative of musicians, actors and other celebrities to build awareness of the destructive effects of fracking.”

Coal Seam Gas company Arrow Energy has already used the controversial 'hydraulic fracture' or fracking process near Beaudesert and within 100m of the Logan River - Beaudesert's town water supply and a supply which will soon be linked to the main South East Queensland water grid - so that's the drinking water for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and many built-up areas in between.

Fracking - a process used to help release difficult to extract coal seam gas - is controversial because of the chemicals used in the process, as well as its potential to contaminate underground water supplies. Worldwide, many countries have banned or put on hold the fracking process until it can be shown to be safe.

“Our objectives are the same: let's put the science first and safeguard our precious water supplies.”



national tree day

we are celebrating National Tree Day with a community tree planting at the Helen Houghton Reserve on Sunday July 29, and everyone's invited.

trees will be supplied by the Scenic Rim Regional Council with support from Greening Australia.
arranged by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire, the annual community planting days work to offset carbon emissions created in other activities.

the day officially starts at 9am, but some keen workers will be there earlier to do a bit of planting and clearing. everyone is more than welcome to join us. Feel free to bring along any trees you'd like to offer to the site - as long as they are native and reasonably frost hardy. it would be great if you could also bring along implements to help.

to thank everyone for their contributions, there’ll be a free morning tea over the road at the Organic Shed which will be open and selling their great organic produce.

here's our event details from the planet ark national tree day site, and pictures from previous community planting days at helen's reserve and the fassifern reserve.

watercolours for everyone

Saturday 14th July 2012 9am - 4pm

This inspiring workshop will equip participants with the foundations to paint  in situ with this wonderful medium. You will learn to put the right mark in the right place and produce great watercolours!

Terry’s workshops both in Australia and overseas always fill quickly.

Terry travels extensively tutoring in the Greek Islands, Tuscany, Finland, France and Croatia. He was commissioned by the RSL to trek and produce exhibitions on the Kokoda Track in New Guinea.

Cost is $50 per person, and places are limited. The workshop will be held at the picturesque Lake Moogerah Café area.


Contact Julie Maddocks on 0408 158 356 for further information and to register.

eat local week market day at the organic shed

Celebrating Eat Local Week, the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) will host a Market Day at the Organic Shed, Milford Road Boonah between 8am and 1pm on Saturday June 30.

Set in the lovely open air environment under the shade of the grand old silky oak, the day will feature local organic food and produce, live entertainment and market stalls.

BOSS secretary Julie Jackson says “Like our recent successful World Environment Day Festival, we’re pleased to again showcase some of our local producers, foodies and craftspeople.”

“Expect to taste some great local food, with the added bonus of it being pesticide free and organic. Raw food and sourdough will again feature, as well as some less common produce like finger limes and lemon myrtle.”

“There’ll be lots of local products available including Elite Meats smallgoods, delicious cakes, biscuits and slices, camp oven damper and juices all prepared from mostly local ingredients.”

“Some of our talented local performers will be entertaining, and there’ll be a good selection of artisan stalls focusing on hand made, home made and home grown, including leadlight, goats milk soap and upcycled items.”

Also on site at the Organic Shed are the resident goats and sheep with hopefully an expected newborn lamb arriving before Market Day.

“We welcome everyone to come along and check out the range of food that’s grown locally and enjoy a delicious morning tea or lunch.”

Visitors can also bring along things which BOSS collects for recycling ventures. These include mobile phones and accessories, corks, old plastic store cards, old running shoes, and bras which are in good condition.

“Anyone wanting to have a stall is encouraged to get in touch with us”, says Julie.

Eat Local Week, will run from Sunday June 24 to Sunday July 1 across the Scenic Rim, celebrating local food of the region and focusing on products grown on our local farms and in local gardens, local ingredients used in our restaurants and the businesses and people who are making locally-grown food more accessible in the Scenic Rim community. 

See the information online for all the events across the Scenic Rim.

For more information regarding the Market Day or to get involved, phone Myfanwy on 0414 317 593 or Julie on 0435 992 798 or email us.

You can view all the day's photos on facebook.

Boonah’s World Environment Day Festival 2012

All the event photos have been uploaded to facebook.

Boonah’s third  World Environment Day Festival showcases a huge range of exhibitors, talks, workshops, demonstrations, art and performances celebrating and inspiring sustainable communities.

The event kicks off at 9am Saturday June 2 at the Outlook, Boonah.

With over 70 exhibitors, there’s something for everyone, from aquaponics to zumba, electric bikes, Madam Mulch, a moving welcome to country, delicious home made fare, lots of local organic produce and more, all showcasing the global Green Economy theme and providing practical and innovative ways to tread more lightly on our earth.

Live entertainment all day includes Brisbane pop / folk/ rock band Pop Properly headlining some great local talent including a performance of Save our Scenic Rim, a song written to highlight the potential impacts of CSG on our community. See below for the entertainment program.

There’s plenty of focus on local wildlife with Furry Maclean and his Crocodiles and Dragons workshop, and Scenic Rim Wildlife who’ll also be celebrating Wildlife Queensland’s 50th anniversary with Wild Poetry of the Scenic Rim at 4.30pm.


Greening Australia and Queensland Bush Foods will be in attendance offering advice to support keen gardeners who want to grab a bargain at the BOSS plant stall. The rare Xanthorrhoea grass tree plants, the emblem of the former Boonah Shire, will also be available. 

Other highlights include sourdough and raw food demonstrations, a discussion on industrial ecology, Boonah’s bulk buy community, and a clothes swap where preloved good quality clothes can be swapped for ‘new’ items.

Recycling features heavily in the sculptural displays by Christopher Trotter and Mark Paddick, the Junk Orchestra interactive workshops, the community weaving table, market stalls with repurposed furniture, jewellery and clothing, together with innovative recycling bays.  
Old runners are collected for the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe Campaign where 100% of old athletic shoes are recycled into Nike Grind and used in the making of new shoes, running tracks and playground surfaces.

Unwanted new and second hand bras can be donated for Project Uplift which provides bras for women in third world countries who have difficulty in obtaining or affording them.

Baby and toddler winter clothes can be donated for the Mornington Island indigenous children who participate in the Drumley Walk.

Visitors can also bring along their corks which are recycled for the Girl Guides, phones and accessories for the Mobile Muster, and old plastic store cards to be refashioned into guitar picks on the day.

Thanks to community generosity, the multi prize raffle has some excellent prizes including a Mt Barney interpretive Eco Walk, Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard wines, an Italian cooking class pass, lots of gift vouchers, gift packs and a local produce hamper.

This year’s event is proudly supported by event sponsor  NRMA Insurance, the Scenic Rim Regional Council through their Environmental Program, and the Department of Communities, the Outlook who are again partnering with BOSS to stage the event.

BOSS looks forward to sharing this fabulous day with our great community.

For more information or to get involved, please contact Julie via email on boonahboss@hotmail.com or phone 0435 992 798.

You can also keep up to date with BOSS activities at our facebook page or on the World Environment Day Festival event page.

Live Entertainment Program

   9.45am     Traditional Acknowledgment

 10.00am      Official Opening

 11.00am      Fleur Wade

 11.20am      Boonah Zumba

 11.40pm      Huon MacKinnon

 12.00pm      Scotty Wilton

 12.20pm      The Cameron Complex

 12.40pm      Marky’s Old Time Thang

   1.00pm      Kym and Kylie

   1.20pm      Earth Mama Belly Dance

   1.40pm      Matt Wright

   2.00pm      Eat Them Like Apples

   2.20pm      Pop Properly

   2.50pm      Rob and Jo
   3.10pm      Pop Properly

Workshops, Demonstrations and Talks

Sustainability Talks in the Conference Room

The Rim Journey    10.15am – 11.00am
Industrial Ecology  11.00am – 11.30am


Demonstrations in the Undercover Area
Raw Food  

11.00am - 11.30am
1.00pm - 1.30pm

Sourdough 
12.00pm - 12.30pm

2.00pm - 2.30pm

Workshops

Altered Art in the Conference Room
1.00pm – 3.30pm

Record Stencilling on the Grassed Entrance Area
10.30am – 1.30pm

Community Weaving in the Courtyard
TBA

Junk Orchestra in the Large White Marquee
10.15am – 11.00am
11.30am – 12.15pm

Native Wildlife in the Grassed Entrance Area

10.30am – 11.30am

Wild Poetry of the Scenic Rim in the Conference Room
4.30pm - 6.30pm