From the Mayor's Desk

QFES meeting – Yelarbon RFS update – Inglewood fire

In the past, the Yelarbon community has operated with an active auxiliary firefighting team. Sadly, this model is unable to continue due to difficulty maintaining brigade members and increasing administrative requirements. As a way forward, the community is working with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and has requested the establishment of a local brigade to provide a level of initial protection and response for the community. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) have now approved this request and are assessing applications from local volunteers. I encourage local residents keen to get involved to put their names forward. There needs to be seven volunteer brigade members to meet and sustain establishment requirements. The more people involved will ensure a more active and robust local capability. We expect a formal announcement on the brigade’s establishment in the not too distant future.

This transition to a Rural Fire Service will enable a dedicated team of volunteer locals to serve as first responders, working to prevent fires from spreading to nearby buildings and securing the surrounding areas. They will also respond to grass fires and vehicle incidents until the Inglewood or Goondiwindi Fire Service can take over the higher-risk tasks.

Just under two weeks ago, a fire burnt a large area in the Whetstone-Bybera area. The QFES swiftly deployed both aerial and ground crews, and their commendable efforts successfully contained the fire while safeguarding nearby properties. As we are currently in the midst of fire season, it is crucial that we take all necessary precautions to minimise human-induced ignition sources, such as welding and grinding, and ensure fire safety preparations are carried out.

Council met with QFES and discussed fire danger ratings and their implications. We specifically discussed the 'catastrophic' rating (the highest possible rating), which was issued last month despite conditions being moderate at the time. The QFES has made significant efforts to refine the rating system to align with the actual on-ground conditions more accurately in our region. Accurate warnings are vital to ensuring people are well informed to respond and act. We also discussed the configuration of different regional brigades and the unique challenges associated with volunteering.

Employee of the Year

An engaged, professional, productive, happy and committed workforce is key to better serving the needs of Council’s residents. Last week, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Qld (IPWEA) recognised Goondiwindi Regional Council as the Employer of the Year in the public sector. This award is a testament to the exceptional work of our Engineering team, who consistently excel in constructing roads, footpaths, and other vital infrastructure projects. Council strives to provide quality local services and be an employer of choice for regional residents and individuals seeking to be part of our community. This recognition is significant given that we are just one of 76 councils across Queensland.

Black Coffee event

Coming up with local solutions is vital to individual and community success, and with that in mind, I again attended the Black Coffee business networking event at the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) shop in Marshall Street. Council has an excellent and practical working relationship with BNTAC. By way of explanation, BNTAC has been recognised by the Federal Court as the authorised Native Title holders across much of our region. Having such a practical relationship helps our community work through cultural heritage matters around projects, such as road construction and management of the myriad of public reserve lands locally.

The Black Coffee events also connect emerging and established businesses with a pipeline of employees and services. BNTAC has done a great job in a short period of time with its local employment placement initiatives, resulting in more than 50 local indigenous residents gaining employment outcomes. They are now expanding their focus to place more local people from all backgrounds into employment opportunities.

Yelarbon Community Consultative Committee (CCC) meeting

Lastly, I recently attended the Yelarbon Community Consultative Committee (CCC) meeting. Since August last year, we have closely partnered with this committee to realise a comprehensive master plan to enhance the town's beautification and development. Through the implementation of this master plan, several projects have been successfully completed, including a new footpath along Taloom Street. Yelarbon residents and visitors have seen a positive transformation over the past couple of years, highlighted by the award-winning silo art, which has become a prominent attraction for the entire Goondiwindi Region and beyond. The new Main Street footpath has also attracted much positive response.

Congratulations to the members of the CCC and the local residents for their collaborative efforts in making Yelarbon a shining example of regional living at its best.