E-BLAST - 3 AUGUST 2014

Jerome and Betty Dray are one of the locals we visit when at the Laguna Quays Respite cottage. Their home in Midge Point overlooks Repulse Bay. They are Salvation Army people and a delight to our hearts. Jerome walks the beach early each morning and Betty is very active in the craft group. 
Photo - Delma and Betty

THE BIGGEST MORNING TEA

Midge Point Cancer Council's "The Biggest Morning Tea" held last Wed at Stan Camm Park. A good crowd with 5-6 marquees, plenty of food brought in by the community - this is one the community events on the calender. We enjoyed the morning. Farm Fest is coming up on 7 Sept.

HOME CHURCH

Will and Margaret Pearce live adjacent to the respite cottage, relocating as their major residence to this Midge Point home from nearby Calen. Once settled they are keen to start a home church and maintain the links at their Calen Church - 40 min south towards Mackay.
Photo - Margaret with her Midge Point Art Prize "Finalist" entry titled "Jessica". 

MIDGE POINT ART PRIZE

Gina Passfield (centre) a cane farming family, the winner of the 2014: The Point Tavern - Carlisle Waters in conjunction with Mr Basil Sellers AM $2000 'Midge Point Art Prize' - and on either side is Mark T (with his bright colourful art shirt) and Mr John Lyons the co-sponsor, a property developer of Carlisle Waters Estate. Mark established the art prize last year.  

CARLISLE WATERS ESTATE

 2 photographs - the signage to the Carlisle Waters Estate and the Carlisle Waters Estate advert billboard.

The Midge Point Art Prize co-sponsor John Lyons is a property developer and is establishing the Carlisle Waters Estate in Midge Point. Mr Basil Sellers sought that I seek a local co-sponsor that the community itself contributes to their $2000 art prize. The Proserpine Guardian newspaper attended the Art Prize and ran a story with two photographs. This art prize is the envy of the Whitsundays.  

E-BLAST - 27 JULY 2014

2014 Basil Sellers $100,000 Sport-Art Prize at the Ian Potter Museum of Art Melbourne University Friday evening was won by indigenous artist Tony Albert - 23 separate art works including Adam Goodes and Nicki Winmar. This SMH video interview below details the artistic endeavours:
http://media.smh.com.au/national/selections/tony-albert-wins-2014-basil-sellers-art-prize-5625111.html

GINA PASSFIELD - BASIL SELLERS MIDGE POINT

Gina Passfield (left) of Bloomsbury won the 2014 Basil Sellers $2000 Midge Point Art Prize with her art work "The visitors" (co sponsored by local developer John Lyons). Mark was MC and the winner was presented by Eunice Donovan the Mackay Shire's Community Development Officer. To view all the winners see the mpbnews art page - 

http://www.mpbnews.org/art-and-crafts.html

MIDGE POINT BEACH

A tractor pushing the sand up against the newly situated sand retention - the Midge Point Progress Ass. secured a permit from the Qld Government for local volunteers to revamp their beach after the January cyclones left many of the palm tree roots exposed and sand dunes destroyed.   

SAND RETENTION MIDGE POINT BEACH

3ks of Midge Point Beach has had sand retention all sewn at the seams - a significant task all achieved by locals as volunteers. The January cyclones destroyed the beach and it has been a super job getting it back to what it was.

SAND RETENTION SEAMS

The sand retention seams are clearly visible here - all sewn by locals for the entire length of Midge Point Beach - a mammoth undertaking and achieved with a minimum of fuss.   

ROE JACKSON - 30 YEARS AGO

Roe Jackson and a team of Midge Point locals re-sanded the beach 30 years ago. We know Roe and Inas well, as the Laguna Quays Respite cottage was bought from them. Rose is a local identity and rural fire chief and all round good-guy with a thousand stories.

E-BLAST - 20 JULY 2014

Matt Browning is from Rotorua in New Zealand and one of the Kiwi young writers attending the Aust / NZ young writers conf on the Gold Coast on Saturday 13 Sept. Matt also attended the NZ young writers conf in April in Wellington. This week his recent article on "mystery" was republished in a Kiwi travel company's web site changing parts of his bio with ritz to entice young people to book their holidays with them. Welcome to the Internet!  

YOUNG WRITERS CONF - DANIEL STOTT

Daniel Stott is a school teacher on the Gold Coast married to fellow young writer Danielle Carney. Daniel has been writing a series on 'A Dad's Perspective on ....." Daniel is from New Zealand and Danielle the Sunshine Coast and they spent their bible college training in Melbourne. Both Daniel and Danielle are attending the young writers conference.  

YOUNG WRITERS CONF - BRIDGET BRENTON

Bridget Brenton is a young writer. Bridget and husband Steve a Canadian spent seven years in China in teaching and upon their return baby Gabriel was born. Bridget has a good readership and often comes at issues from a different perspective. They have been living on the Gold Coast and this past week relocated to Brisbane so Steve can attend bible college rather than on-line. 

JOHN GROCOTT - STATISTICIAN

John Grocott is the young writer program's statistician for the Panellist points over the eight month period of marking. John is retired (now living in Tweed Heads) ex corporate sector, in top banking. John & Janine attended NZ young writers conf in March 2013 in Christchurch and John also attended the April 2014 NZ young writer's conf in Wellington. pic - John is a railway buff and came with Delma and me on the Alpine Express from Christchurch to Greymouth.

E-BLAST - 13 JULY 2014

Sophia and Andrew Sinclair and baby Guy will be at the 13 Sept. young writers conference (Gold Coast). Sophia gave a workshop at the NZ young writers conf. in April (wellington) and giving same workshop to the Aust / NZ young writers conf. in Sept. Not only is Sophia a young writer, also editor of the NZ CMS mag (Christchurch). They head to the Sydney Missionary and Bible College in Croydon in 2015 and at the Pioneer Country Church of Grace Sun 14 Sept. Andrew preaching and Sophia a testimony. 

YOUNG WRITERS CONF: - JARED DIPROSE NZ

Jared Diprose Auckland NZ is a young writer who will also be at the 13 Sept., young writers conf. Jared has travelled extensively and established a small business using his hands in creating things. http://www.jareddiprose.co.nz/   Speak, Create, Inspire - Jared invites his customers to chat over a coffee and together they develop an idea. Jared has recently become a half owner of an Auckland city cafe/coffee (sits 60). I'm in discussions with Jared for our March 2015 NZ young writers conf to be held in this cafe. https://www.facebook.com/cafecrave

YOUNG WRITERS CONF - LISA GOETZE

Lisa Goetze a young writer will also be at the 13 Sept young writers conference. Lisa is from Canada where she trained and worked in the media, initially in a morning breakfast television program and then later with Canadian Broadcasting (like our ABC). Lisa then joined YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and found herself in Brisbane YWAM (3 years now). Lisa sang at our CoolyRocksOn service.

YOUNG WRITERS CONF - SAM GILLESPIE

Sam Gillespie a young writer from Sydney will also be at the 13 Sept Young Writers Conf. Sam is an accomplished composer of classic and general music with musical scores for several concerts he's initiated and prestigious concerts where his composed works have been performed. He has done musical scores for short films and advertising. He is also specialised in movie 'audio' with several short and longer films and toured Europe in 2011 as a classical singer with the Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Choir. Salley and Sam were married in March. 

DELMA'S PRIZE WIINING CARDS

Delma won an equal 2nd prize and a 3rd prize for these two cards - Charity / Australiana sections - South Tweed Card Group - who went for dinner last week at the Twin Towns Juniors (husbands invited) near the young writers conf venue (our local church) - we've negotiated to have dinner at Twin Towns Juniors 13 Sept. $12.50 per person (or less) instead of asking church folk to cater for a fellowship tea for themselves and for delegates. A sponsor has come forward for this meal. The Young Writer Awards night starts at 7.15pm and the church folk invited to bring a light supper.  

E-BLAST - 6 JULY 2014

Charley Goiris (Charlotte) from Melbourne will be at the 13 Sept. young writers conf., on the Gold Coast. Charley is a youth pastor, professional model and actress and attended last year's young writers conf. in Melbourne. Charley has let us know she is interested in leading a Gold Coast Theme Parks after the conf. and others are joining in (including some NZ's). If they do Movie World, Charley will give a first hand explanation of how the movie world works. 

SEPT YOUNG WITERS CONF - JOSH HINDS

Josh Hinds is one of the plenary speakers at the 13 Sept. young writers conference launching CARD - Christian Author Register Depositary - a web site where Christian Writers of all ages can locate their articles in one location as a remarkable assist to any Christian theology student, pastor, layperson, bible reader. Josh and his team developed this and everyone is looking forward to it's launch.  

SEPT YOUNG WRITERS CONF - LAURA VELOSO

Laura Veloso is from Melbourne and will be at the 13 Sept young writers conference on the Gold Coast. Laura husband John and three sons are off to Fiji on a short term mission one week after the conf. Over many years - a perennial short term mission focus travelling across the sub-continent and the South Pacific. The Panellists marked Laura 2nd in 2013 and Basil Sellers donated $1000 as Laura was only 1 point behind Alison Barkley after 8  months.

SEPT YOUNG WRITERS CONF - TIM EVERTON

Tim Everton is from Melbourne and one of his major interests is IT. Tim will be at the 13 Sept. young writers conference on the Gold Coast and is being billeted by Zach Radloff another IT geek. Will they need a translator for us mortals?

5 FOXTAIL PALMS GROWN AT LQ

We'll be back at Laguna Quays Respite in just under 3 weeks for the Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize. Remember how you in 2011 - 'our support network' helped us purchase the 5 Foxtail Palm trees for the front - look at how they have grown!

DELMA'S MULBERRY AT LQ RESPITE

In just under 3 weeks time we're back at Laguna Quays Respite and this mulberry was planted by Delma when a tiddler, now look at it. Delma is a green thumb, talks to the plants, and loves watching them grow and develop, a bit like our children.