Asha and Nick were lucky enough to be sponsored by Skytrans the best way to get to Brisbane from Quilpie.  This year Asha and Nick were joined by Nicola and Claire to attend the State Swimming in Brisbane at Chandler Aquatic Complex.

swam in 9 events with the 50m backstroke as his favourite, Asha in 7 events with Breastroke being her favourite, Claire in 6 events with butterfly being her favourite and Nicola in 6 events with backstroke being her favourite. Nicola has been selected in the AWD category to represent Queensland at the National swimming in August in Adelaide. Good luck Nicola.

Thank you again Skytrans for helping these kids achieve thier goals.

We had our photo taken on the Saturday and had a quick warm up in the outdoor pool at Chandler.   

Last minute words from David at the warm up.

 On Sunday we were all involved in the March past. We were a very small group compared to a lot of the other teams.    

 The best part is when you turn around after your race and see your name up on the huge board above the pool. That is awesome!   

                                  Nick trying to stay calm before 200m Individual Medley.                                   

Asha getting ready for her 100m Butterfly

        

           Nicola preparing for her race.

Claire ready for the 100m freestyle 

 On Saturday the 16^th of March 2013, The Mornington Island State School’s Wellness Committee held their second annual fundraising trivia night. This year the night was held in aid of The Royal Flying Doctor’s Service, with over $400 raised through raffle ticket sales on the night. The prize (kindly donated by Skytrans), was 1 x Return ticket from Mornington Island to Cairns and was won by the school’s hard working cleaner Pam!

The trivia competition was hotly contested with different themed dress ups at each team table. The end winners however, were the much deserving pirate team, followed closely by the hamburgers. Overall, a lot of fun was had for a very good cause and a big thank you must go to Skytrans for donating the flight that we raffled  off!

Last October, St Finbarr’s School held its 16^th  annual Fete and Mystery Holiday fundraiser. This function is the Parents’ & Friends’ Association’s  major fundraiser for the year. St Finbarr’s school is a small, independent, catholic school in Quilpie with an enrolment of 25 students from Prep – Yr 7.

Skytrans have been long-standing supporters of this event, donating flights towards the Mystery Holiday for many years.

Skytrans generously donated the Quilpie – Brisbane (return) component of the holiday. The 2012 Mystery Holiday destination was to the Melbourne Cup. The lucky winners flew to Brisbane courtesy of Skytrans, and stayed overnight at Royal Albert Apartments in Brisbane City. The next day, they flew to Melbourne and enjoyed 4 nights of absolute luxury at the Langham Hotel, including tickets to the Melbourne Cup. They then flew back to Brisbane and on to Quilpie, thanks again to Skytrans.

This function is very well supported by the Quilpie community with well over 300 tickets sold. The 2011 winner was Tina Fraser. Tina and her family run the Imperial Hotel in Quilpie. It has been a lifelong dream for Tina to go to the Melbourne Cup, so she had no hesitation in taking the holiday, with her sister Kylie as her companion. The girls had an absolutely wonderful time in Melbourne, enjoying the Melbourne Cup, as well as the shopping, dining and entertainment on offer.

Once again, the St Finbarr’s Parents’ and Friends’ Association would like to sincerely thank Skytrans for their continued generous support of our small, outback school.

A great day was had by all at the annual ‘Tracking the Arts Race Day’ on the 8^th March 2013 at Clifford Park Race Track.

A popular favourite in the USQ Artsworx season, Race Day is not only a social highlight, but also an important fundraising event for the University’s production house.

Artsworx Manager, Rebecca Scollen said, “a flourishing arts scene is the sign of a healthy community.

Rebecca Scollen and Andrew Mason

Race Day is the only fundraiser for the year making it a real showcase for products and students.

More than 190 people enjoyed the afternoon of fashion, fun, art and auctions showcasing the skills and wares of USQ Creative Arts staff and students.

 Sue Pearson, Peter and Judi Mitchell

Guests enjoyed performances by USQ singers and musicians; had the opportunity to bid on a fabulous range of artworks by USQ Visual Arts Lecturers; and watched Australian artist and McGregor School tutor, Don Milner create a masterpiece for the live auction.

True to race day tradition, the event also included a hotly contended fashions on the field and a fashion parade introducing Carolyn Taylor-Smith’s fabulous new fashion range and styling hats and fascinators by local milliner, Michelle Mingay.

Kate and Alexander Nordang

The event raised close to $8 000 on the day, which will go directly towards the 2013 season assisting in the production of events that involve USQ Creative Arts students, such as the Shakespeare in the Park Festival, Children’s Theatre Week, concerts and visual art exhibitions.

On the day Skytrans proudly donated two air tickets Toowoomba to Sydney to help contribute to the fundraising effort.

A fun day out was had in less than ideal conditions for the ladies fishing the 29th Ribbons Ladies Tournament out of Cairns on Saturday 1st December 2012.

Ribbons Treasurer and Club Captain Sharon Leptig has given the final wrap up for the competition. Sharon reports in all there were 162 anglers, including 14  juniors, competing on 48 boats.

In the one day event 11 billfish were tagged and released as well as 94 gamefish weighed.

New Moon, skippered by Kim Andersen, took out the event with two sailfish and seven game fish, just nudging out Panawonica also with two tags.

Club President Dianne Hance, fishing on Panawonica, was lucky enough to tag her first sailfish!

Champion Senior Angler was Sonia Campbell on board Top Shot who tagged a black marlin and weighed in some nice game fish.

Champion Junior Angler was Chloe Puls on board Little Tubs.   This champion 11 year old caught a massive 30.4kg spanish mackerel on 10kg line, which is a potential Qld Junior Female record.

Ribbons would like to thank its sponsors, including Skytrans, for their continued support over the years. 2013 is the 30th Anniversary for the Ribbons tournament and the committee is looking forward to a record attendance.

www.ribbons.org.au

* To see more great pictures of the Ribbons Tournament please see our Gallery’s Page.

The 2012 Ribbon’s Champion Angler Sonia Campbell

The Tournament’s Champion Team – New Moon

Team Askari Black sets the standard by landing this awesome Black Marlin.

(Pictured L to R – Penny Chandler (Director C&K Gabbinbar Community Kindergarten) & Beck Hooley (Winner of Skytrans Prize) & Baby Lola

The C&K Gabbinbar Community Kindergarten recently had its first ever fundraising event which was held on the 17th November 2012. We were delighted when approximately 100 Trivia Buffs ‘battled it out’ to be the 2012 Trivia Champions. To say the competition was ‘fierce’ was an understatement.

Our small but dedicated Fundraising Team had sold almost 1600 multi-draw raffle tickets leading up to the night and at the actual event itself. We were truly impressed with the generosity of local businesses who wanted to be involved with the evening through donations for our multi-draw raffle and auction. The most sought after prize on the evening (thanks Skytrans!) was a return flight for two people from Toowoomba to Sydney. Congratulations goes to Beck Hooley (pictured above) who won the major prize and now just has to decide who else to take on her trip.

Thanks to this outstanding support from local families and businesses, we were able to raise funds in excess of $3000.

Our Kindergarten (of approx. 20 families) has only been open since January this year as a part of the government scheme for providing more opportunities for Queensland children to attend Kindergarten. As we are a not for profit organisation, we rely on fundraising events such as the Trivia Night to provide essential resources and any improvements to the service. We are using the funds raised from our Trivia Night to improve the children’s outdoor eating and play areas which are currently exposed to the elements.

Thanks to the roaring success of this year’s event, we are all looking forward to doing it all over again, bigger and better next year.

Skytrans was again a major sponsor of the event and as well as providing a Skytrans travel prize for the event, also provided travel for two international bull riding professionals, John Sneezby and LeRoy Eash from Montana, USA.

Leroy took out the Open Saddle Bronc competition at the Rodeo with 80 points for his first ride and then 77 points for the second.

‘It was a fantastic trip and the Australian cowboys were terrific to be around,’ said LeRoy.

LeRoy also entered the bull ride and then later teamed up with a local farmer to enter the Cunnamulla Fella Challenge which included whip cracking, cross cut sawing, fencing and bale rolling. ‘We didn’t win but it was lots of fun’ he said.

LeRoy said while it was great to win the saddle bronc event, a real highlight was visiting the 300,000 acre sheep station ‘Clover Downs’ and seeing Australian farming first hand. He also got a lesson in sheep shearing! ‘I saw a lot of kangaroos too,’ he said.

LeRoy and John wanted to thank Skytrans for assisting them to get to Cunnamulla.

John called to thank Skytrans and to advise that after 16 take offs and landings from the States to Cunnamulla the flight Brisbane to Cunnamulla was the best. ‘Skytrans is the friendliest and most professional airline I have been on with the best ‘real’ food being served’. John also complimented Skytrans crew on the flight and thought Flight Attendant Jillian Davison was a great ambassador for Skytrans.

One of the mostsought after auction items this year was the amazing donation by Skytrans of flights to the value of $2000!! Simon and Cam Case were the successful bidders on the night and were very excited with their win. Well done Simon and Cam and thank-you Skytrans!

We were able to raise a significant amount of money that will go directly towards the 2013 Snow Camp. Special thanks must go to Miss Muffy for all of her organising and for preparing the challenging trivia questions and to Mr Geoff Norton for being our Auctioneer on the night.

Article & Photos Courtesty of Dan Lindemayer, A/Principal, Boulia State School

This year is quite special though, as the proceeds are going to Kimberley Cunningham to contribute to her quest for 2013 Isa Rodeo Queen. All of Kimberley’s proceeds will be donated to the RFDS.

A fantastic night was had by all, with over 160 people through the door. The centerpieces fascinated all, young and old, with water crystals (dubbed jelly balls for the evening) still rolling around on the floor the next morning.

The winners of the evening were as follows:

Prince of the Ball -  Connor Hindom

Princess of the Ball  – Charley Hall

Best Dressed Gent  – Ben Brown

Loveliest Lady  – Belinda Thompson

Stud of the Ball  – Jaxon (last name unkownn)

Belle of the Ball - Katelyn (last name unknown)

People’s Choice Award - Sheridan Sarmardin

The winner’s of the lucky door prize, generously donated by Skytrans were William & Yuarna Dean, a local family.

Ann Britton made herself available to take photos for all that wanted to pose and will kindly be donating the proceeds of these sales to the RFDS. Fantastic music was provided by the now infamous Bradley Edgar and the dance floor was full until closing time when the CWA (Jenny Anderson) sold hotdogs for the hungry masses, also in aid of the RFDS. The greatest end to a most fantastic evening.

We look forward to doing it all again next year!

Photos courtesy of Ann Britton.

’Where are all these ladies going on the roads?’

Blokes have Ag Shows and Rodeos to go to but this weekend was about giving the ladies some of the things that were, well, just for ladies.

This was a day for meeting like-minded rural and remote women, sharing stories, being inspired by guest speakers from around the country and being empowered to take control of their own health and well-being.

Cocktails and coffee, massages and manicures were all crammed into one day, Saturday 10th November – approximately 1400km west of Brisbane at remote Durham Downs Station, located on the Cooper Creek. The only town further west is Innamincka, near the famous Burke & Wills Dig Tree, then next stop Lake Eyre and the Simpson Desert.

The brainchild of Durham Down’s governess, Kristy McGregor, this 20 year old dynamo (with the support of Managers Michelle Reay & Jon Cobb and the Station team), co-ordinated the event – drawing 100 women from Quilpie, Longreach, Charleville, Birdsville areas as well as Northern NSW and SA, with ages ranging from 90 to 14.

 Ladies arrived from up to 10 hours drive away, craving some female company and conversation. With the chance to ‘frock-up’ being rare in the bush, Friday night started with a massive storm, turning the red soil into a mud pie. High heels were very practically traded for boots and thongs, but undeterred, everyone dressed in pink for the Jane McGrath Foundation fundraising cocktail party. Gay Tully from Windorah gave an empassioned speech about being a cancer survivor.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) flew in with their team, offering counselling, pap smears, breast exams and the latest in medical information.

The guest speakers were Robyn Hills, an award winning photographer, helicopter pilot and fashion designer from Caloundra, Qld, who spoke about being creative and passionate about life, while sharing her photographs for visual inspiration.

Acclaimed author Meme McDonald shared her journey of being raised in the bush and becoming a writer. She encouraged the women to document their resilience and life in the outback.

Ana Snyman flew in from Byron Bay and got a packed house to her presentation on understanding how your body works, demystifying the female anatomy and giving excellent practical advice on improving your sex life. The women attending commented that they never realized how much they didn’t know and were grateful for the opportunity to have an open discussion about what works and how to improve, which is sure to please their partners after staying home to look after the children.

Travelling from Perth, Stephanie Coombes, a ringer in WA, shared her passion of social media. Women learned about Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and using a blog to network and communicate rural activites.

Lyn Barnes is a well-known Australian artist with a gallery in Quilpie.

Women were given the opportunity to dabble in some art by contributing to a group painting under her guidance. She created a scene depicting a stockwoman wearing a pink workshirt, which was then auctioned for the RFDS and Jane McGrath Foundation.

The weekend would not be possible without the support of Bulloo Shire Council, Desert Channels Queensland, Regional Arts Development Fund, Drill Search, Mighty Leaf Tea and Skytrans.

Some of the comments of the feedback forms were:

• My cheeks are sore from laughing so much
• Have made fabulous new friends
• Feel totally rejuventated and ready to go back to the station
• Finally got to talk to another woman
• I drive 600km for my husband, I drive 600km for my children, but I never drive 600km for myself – so decided to come
• Are we having another one next year?

Article coutesy of Kristy McGregor & Michelle Reay of Durham Downs Station

Photo’s courtesy of Robyn Hills www.ROBYNgraphs.com.au